Mechanical object spotted on Mars Sol 790

a reply to: Blister
Evidence that life exists elsewhere surely has an impact.
Speculation and imagination, not so much.

Curiosity about to start Chinle-Whale Rock leg on SOL835 and SOL836:

After we complete our morning science observations, Curiosity will attempt a rather difficult drive toward Whale Rock. Curiosity was last at Whale Rock on Sol 796, (...). We want to go back to Whale Rock to investigate the small-scale textures and composition of the outcrop using the instruments on the rover’s arm (MAHLI and APXS). But in order to do that, we need to get close to the rocks, and the terrain looks quite challenging. One way to work around the difficult approach is to sample a float rock (a block that has broken off from the main outcrop and might be in a more accessible position). Due to the difficult terrain, it might take us a few drives to get into a good position.

Source: astrogeology.usgs.gov...
Hopefully the team can get a look at our objects of interest. Is that the "float rock" which is set apart from Whale Rock proper? Fingers crossed.

Curiosity has uploaded a number of downsampled Navcam pics of our object of interest from SOL835.

Here are two of the best thus-far...

Left Navcam:


Source: mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

Navcam right:

Source: mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

And one from slightly earlier can be found at mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

Awaiting full data pics from the relative Navcam images. No sign yet of any relevant Mastcam or MAHLI images.

EDIT: A quick update. Curiosity has moved directly toward the objects we are interested in and is now less than 3 meters away.

Really strange.. the first one looks like part of an aircraft, and the last one looks a little fake but that could be because of the red dust that hasn't covered it yet...

Its a Keg of Beer.
Or A Keg of Martini.

Not sure what it is. It looks like the ball on a Dyson vacuum cleaner.

Picture from Mastcam, SOL837:

Source: mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

Have to say, this does look like a rock.

Though some details need clarification - such as ridge-like protuberance on left-facing side; the rectangular shape of the left-facing side; the large and open fracture on right-facing side including the bevelled edging atop; the hidden left-facing side where there appeared to be an opening to the object with associated fall-out debris on the ground; the hidden side which was visible in original OP pic.

Still awaiting more pictures, especially from SOLS835/836, but may be none.

I am afraid that unless we get specific investigation of this object, we may never be able to 100% state as fact that it is rock. Unless the Chinle-Whale Rock route Mastcam pics (if there are any) give us some better close-ups, then this may be as good as it gets.

a reply to: Phage

That's incredibly naive Phage.

Speculation and imagination have a considerable impact and one that should not be discounted by anyone claiming to adhere to scientific principles.

a reply to: Thorneblood

Wait, what? There is a difference between scientific speculation and baseless speculation formed from extreme bias.