SCI/TECH: Opportunity Spots Curious Object On Mars, page 1

posted on Jan, 14 2005 @ 05:39 AM

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The Opportunity Mars rover has encountered a curious object sitting in the opening of the Meridiani Planum. The object, perhaps a meteorite, when analyzed by the Mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer gave off a reading of having a metal composition.

space.com
NASA’s Opportunity Mars rover has come across an interesting object -- perhaps a meteorite sitting out in the open at Meridiani Planum. Initial data taken by the robot’s Mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) is suggestive that the odd-looking “rock” is made of metal.

The curious-looking object stands out in the parking-lot like landscape of Meridiani Planum.

“We're curious about it too. We have Mini-TES data on it now, and they suggest that it may actually be made of metal,” said Steve Squyres, lead scientist on the Mars Exploration Rover mission from Cornell University.

“So we are beginning to suspect that it may be a meteorite. I stress that this is very preliminary!”, Squyres told SPACE.com.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

The scientists stress that this too early to say what it is. No doubt the conspiracy theories will begin cropping up about the origins of this object if it is indeed metal. It is funny thought that this object would be sitting in the sand all by itself. The rover came upon it as it was examining the entry debris that it left when it entered the atmosphere.

IronDogg

posted on Jan, 14 2005 @ 05:44 AM

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I will laugh when they discover that it is actually one of Nasa's previously failed missions to mars...

I will be exstatic if it is of unknown origin and design though...

Kidfinger

posted on Jan, 14 2005 @ 05:45 AM

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could it be part of the rover that ended up as debris? It was found while checking out its own reentery debris. Cause for speculation?

FredT

posted on Jan, 14 2005 @ 05:47 AM

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Guys follow the link and there is a picture. i have no ability to upload the pic from work. If soemone can do so and post it it might be worth some applause.

It does not look like derbis from the reentry. It looks alot like a rock but all metal composition

[edit on 1/14/05 by FredT]

Kidfinger

posted on Jan, 14 2005 @ 05:49 AM

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OK. I went to the link. It looks like a piece of metal that entered the atmosphere and melted on its way down. Im still skeptical aboout this, because the rover was looking at its own debris when this was found. Also, I didnt see any info on the size of this object. Did I just miss it?

sanctum

posted on Jan, 14 2005 @ 06:00 AM

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This is the object FredT is talking about.

stumason

posted on Jan, 14 2005 @ 06:01 AM

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Not to fan the flames for conspiracy theories, but why is that every time a strange object shows up on Mars, it is put down to debris from re-entry?

I mean, how much debris is there, and why is it all over Mars??

FredT

posted on Jan, 14 2005 @ 06:05 AM

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I agree, there can't be that much and they had a good idea from up above where all the derbis from the entry craft were. AWST had a map of them. This object I believe is not from a mars shot. Unless its whats left of beagle

IronDogg

posted on Jan, 14 2005 @ 06:09 AM

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Good point stu, however who said it was actually debris? I think it was just suggested as a possibility wasn't it? I understand what you are saying though, and I guess it is just the quickest and easiest answer to justify the object being there, is all. I hope it is of alien origin, myself...

stumason

posted on Jan, 14 2005 @ 06:13 AM

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I know no-one official has said it, but it crops up everytime on ATS... even when there where rocks with possible water, some were saying "ooh...no, definately debris....."

..come on! At the very least just say its a rock! Anyone would think we have left rubbish all over Mars....or have we???

FredT

posted on Jan, 15 2005 @ 03:52 AM

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Anybody elese thinks its anything but a metal rock from space?

AceOfBase

posted on Jan, 15 2005 @ 04:00 AM

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Here's a better photo of it:

newscientist.com
The object, about the size of a potato, caught the eyes of ground controllers because of its unusual pitted surface. "We've been seeing little rocks on the plain since the start of the mission," says Steven Squyres at Cornell University, the Mars rovers' chief scientist. "We all just kind of assumed they're little pieces of Martian basalt."

It's strange it's just sitting on the surface like that instead of buried in the ground from the impact.

Asteroid

posted on Jan, 15 2005 @ 04:12 AM

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Originally posted by FredT
Anybody elese thinks its anything but a metal rock from space?

Yes well i found that if you turn your head on its side and squint while viewing this object its just possible it could be a hub-cap that has come off one of the Rovers wheel when it hit another undentified space rock,what you think?