Mars photo with 3 orbs - or are they just birds flying in the distance? LOL

reply to post by SeriousIndividual


Yes, they are there; the same compression artifacts in the same exact place in the same exact "formation".

Did no one read my last post?

I just realized how filthy my screen is....

Possibly "Mushroom Spores" from Earth colonizing Mars. or vice-versa?

Maybe Terrence McKenna was right way back in 1990 when he said that this could happen :puz

Nice find OP.


(btw, I just saw how dirty my Monitor is as well, great!)

I haven't read through the whole of this thread, but I was just looking at this website - mars.jpl.nasa.gov... and noticed that the same three specs are present on other photographs from the same camera. I don't know if anyone else has also pointed this out.

It does seem more likely to suggest that it's something on the lens. Or very, very slow moving birds!!! Maybe Martian birds are quite stationary!

Originally posted by DaRAGE

The whole trip cost $2.5 billion.
$3 billion camera exageraton.

2 Megapixel camera...

It's called Dust mate..

LOL 2 megapixel camera. My phone has more megapixels maybe its due to hard drive space and sending the bytes they keep it that small.

I was wondering the same thing when looking at this: mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

But I naturally ruled it out with a skeptical view.
Because it's much more plausible.

Originally posted by digital01anarchy
LOL 2 megapixel camera. My phone has more megapixels maybe its due to hard drive space and sending the bytes they keep it that small.

I posted a link earlier in this thread, but I think it went on mostly unnoticed. Part of the reason for the 2MP camera is for bandwidth reasons, but also because the design specifications for MSL were fixed back in 2004. Meaning that they had chosen what hardware they were going to use. And you don't go making changes/upgrades after that.

Just for comparison. Here's a list of the best selling cameras of 2004. Note that they range from 2MP - 6MP. So a 2MP camera for a Mars rover is quite comparable for that time. Cameras in cell phones were a new concept at that time and just starting to appear phones and they were in the 0.3MP range.

Here's the article again for anyone who missed it: Link

reply to post by Bilk22


Dust storm kicking up dirt. Wow. Come on ..

It's a pity that NASA is apparently selecting pictures for full resolution ad hoc, why'd they not just complete a thumbnail and full resolution as they go along? Well that could be something to do with a queueing system for each return to Earth, not related to any picture in particular, I don't know about that.
Anyway it seems that the left mastcam has something repeated enough in full resolution to show that there is something in or on the lens, possibly from after the dust cover was opened, and seems very fine. You will be able to look at the rest that are only thumbnails as yet, when FR is available.
As far as I know, the lens full resolution itself is very sharp, something like 18mm at 2.1mtr, but ask ArMap about that.
You could also read JRA's link and give him credit for a good informative post, instead of turning the thread into a circus.

reply to post by Bilk22


I'm sure those orbs are actually birds. I see four total, three together and one by itself. This should explain it....wingbeats.info...

reply to post by Bilk22


I see them OP the one on the left looks like a cross, damn my screen is dirty though never noticed till I looked at this lol it would be a good pic for seeing if your screen needs a clean

The two on the right though are strange to say the least


just read a few other posts and maybe it's pixel problems after all the tech Curiosity is using is a few year old but that being said wouldn't the scientists that built this be absolutely dedicated to stopping such accidents happening? I'm sure they would

reply to post by jra


I noticed it jra, I even tried to relay some of the information. I guess 6-7 pages is too much for people to read. It's sad that they only read/respond to argue with people instead of noticing the information relevant to the topic.

Nice to know everyone has a dirty monitor, though.

I have just found them also!!

It cant be dust, as other people have said, it would be on all the other photos. Lets not forget there are a few hundred photos making up this panoramic photo, so the anomalies, if dust or something on the lens would be on more than one image sent back.

And dead pixels?!? Come on guys....


To add on this - I have clicked at random around 8-10 subframe Left Mast Cam images and have yet to see one with the same anomalies


I retract my statements lol two different images, exactly the same anomalies.

mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

mars.jpl.nasa.gov...

reply to post by Bilk22

go here:
gigapan.com...

starting from the left zoom all the way in where the haze meets the ground. there is one higher up in the haze and one lower to the right just above where the haze meets the ground. and then there are several more way over to the right just after the big white area.

I'm thinking more now that there's something wrong with the stupid camera. counted twenty seven in all. they all start with the lighter one next to a dark one higher up and a little more to the right but lower is the solitary one, they are in groups of three.

reply to post by RAY1990


you'd think they'd fix the friggin glitches just to shut us up wouldn't you

Upon seeing this, all I see is a really dusty desert that you can find on Earth. Now, where is the most dustiest desert on the planet and it includes rocks but no plants?

reply to post by Bilk22

On the front page right now there is a thread where a member is talking about how the gigapan they put together keeps getting censored. I hat to say it but, I think you are just looking at dust. The dots are actually in several pictures. I went to the gigapan that impaired (an ATS member) put together and found the location that is shown in your photo. You can see the dots in the gigapan and you can see them in the same configuration at a different point on the skyline in the next two photos (at least).

gigapan.com...

You can find your photo on the right section of the skyline. Where you see the metal drum? go straight back. You'll find the same range of hills and your dots. Then, check to the right of there... a couple of times.

When are we going to get a picture of an oasis on mars from NASA. Pictures are getting kind of boring. I see people looking at dust particles now in pictures just to try to make it interesting.

If you called it a UFO and said it was taken from the desert (on earth) it would be birds 110% birds everybody ...yes its birds case closed move alone.. just has to be

If you called it birds on Mars its a unanimous OH ITS DUST!!! we are 110% sure of it... yes definitely dust

Looks like Mars dust/dust on the lens. Or it could be something a million miles away or a few inches from the lens. Impossible to know.