Mars

"WITHIN GRASP" by MarsX3D

Details: Category: Mars; Written by David Gannett; Hits: 950

“WITHIN GRASP” by Mars X3D

Curiosity Sol 1110 M-100 N-NE PDS by Neville Thompson

Link: http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/195541/snapshots/623917

It’s hard not to notice the bony white arm and withered hand reaching out from beyond the grave in today’s Context View! Is that what it really is, or is it just an over-active imagination at work?

Our Detail View moves in for a closer look. Is the arm and its hand organic? Probably not. In fact, it may just be a rather amazingly-carved rock; another remarkable and even improbable product of wind and sand. Or...could it be part of a statue? Or perhaps a robotic arm formerly used in industrial production of some kind? Whatever it is, its resemblance to a humanoid arm is both striking and a bit disturbing.

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“SO, HOW DO I VIEW X3D STEREO?”

Simple! While viewing the stereo pair at a comfortable distance, gently cross your eyes (no eye-strain) until you perceive three images all the same width. The one in the center is in 3D. Just relax into it and your eyes will automatically bring it into focus. Once you have it, you will never forget how to do it. Kinda like riding a bicycle…

For another, more detailed method of viewing X3D stereo, click HERE.

(Click for full-sized image)

"STEP PYRAMID" by MarsX3D

Details: Category: Mars; Written by David Gannett; Hits: 1033

“STEP PYRAMID” by Mars X3D

Curiosity Sol 1110 M-100 N-NE PDS by Neville Thompson

Link: http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/195541/snapshots/623397

What a beautiful thing to witness an ancient building emerging from the drifting dunes of Mars! In today’s Context View the pyramid shape just pops out of the picture in the upper left-hand corner.

Moving into the Detail View, it’s stunning to see the clearly-defined steps, the lavish carving and the surrounding structures half-buried in the sand. Evoking the classic design of Meso-American pyramids, one can’t help but wonder if this equivalent on Mars was also used for human(oid) sacrifice. Some were used for astronomical observation, but most were temples and thus, the sacrificial theme seems likely. And sad. We find evidence through statues, carvings and buildings of a period in Martian history seemingly immersed in such brutality. Did they evolve as a society before the cataclysm? Or did the elite somehow escape and bring both their pyramid technology and their low estimation of human life to the shores of Earth’s oceans? All speculation, of course. And naturally enough, there will always be the skeptic who cries “Rocks!” regardless of the evidence.

Nevertheless, the enigma presented by this pyramid and scores of others discovered on Mars demands a theory that addresses all the questions. Those who have read Dr. Immanuel Velikovski’s “Worlds in Collision” and Dr. John Brandenburg’s “Death on Mars: The Discovery of a Planetary Nuclear Disaster” are well on their way to formulating just such a theory.

Meanwhile, the search continues.

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“SO, HOW DO I VIEW X3D STEREO?”

For another, more detailed method of viewing X3D stereo, click HERE.

(Click for full-sized image)

"EROSION QUOTIENT" by MarsX3D

Details: Category: Mars; Written by David Gannett; Hits: 1080

“EROSION QUOTIENT” by MarsX3D

Curiosity Sol 1110 M-100 N-NE PDS by Neville Thompson

Link: http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/195541/snapshots/623399

It’s nice when every once in awhile, there’s something large enough, close enough and not obfuscated for whatever reason by NASA to have a decent look at it. Such is the case in today’s Context View, where we see a big chunk of something down in the lower right-hand corner.

Moving into Detail View #1, we see what at first glance might be an eroded boulder. Odd angles, knobs and channels could be the result of relentless chiseling by wind and sand. But here are the two considerations that mitigate against this being a naturally-eroded boulder: non-fractal angles and bilateral symmetry.

Going to Detail View #2, we get in good and tight to examine whatever this is. Note the following: Parallel sides of the same shape and thickness; a squared-off end on the right with perfect ninety-degree angles everywhere; four symmetrical grooves cut into the squared-off end; two parallel protrusions catching the sunlight on the front right end, both the same shape and thickness.

This is not stone, but corroded metal. IMHO, this is a battered and corroded piece of industrial equipment; another piece of mute testimony to the utter devastation that was Mars’ turning point.

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“SO, HOW DO I VIEW X3D STEREO?”

For another, more detailed method of viewing X3D stereo, click HERE.

(Click for full-sized image)

"STRUCTURAL SUPPORT" by MarsX3D

Details: Category: Mars; Written by David Gannett; Hits: 1224

“STRUCTURAL SUPPORT” by MarsX3D

Curiosity Sol 1106 M-100 NW PDS by Neville Thompson

Link: http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/195511/snapshots/623417

What caught my eye initially in today’s Context View was the perfect block. But when I zoomed in to examine the area, I was delighted to discover a LOT more going on!

Normally I place Locator Dots to indicate other anomalies within the image being presented. But today’s Detail View is an exception, because virtually EVERYTHING in the image is an anomaly. Starting with the main item, we see what seems to be a scissors-sided, square-framed anomaly whose left side curls up one the left end rather like the front of a toboggan. A plate crosses the middle and several indeterminate structures jut up at a right angles into the air.

Just behind the “toboggan” lie kind of a chest-like block and then the perfect block in the background. But take a minute to examine the smaller items surrounding this panoply. On the right edge, I’m intrigued by the shaped piece with a perfect hole through it. All the others pieces seem mechanical or structural in nature.

There’s too much here to simply sweep it all under the rug of purposeful ignorance.

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“SO, HOW DO I VIEW X3D STEREO?”

For another, more detailed method of viewing X3D stereo, click HERE.

(Click for full-sized image)

"GOLDEN IDOL" by MarsX3D

Details: Category: Mars; Written by David Gannett; Hits: 965

“GOLDEN IDOL” by MarsX3D

Curiosity Sol 1106 M-100 NW PDS by Neville Thompson

Link: http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/195511/snapshots/624062

Pareidolia, the tendency of the human mind to assign meaning to random shapes, is a constant factor against which the serious researcher must maintain vigilance. Too often, the images from Mars turn into an ongoing Rorschach test for dilettante researchers who see tiny humans, UFO’s and the like everywhere they look.

That said, I will be the first to admit that today’s Context View may well be a textbook example of pareidolia. At the lower left, what looks like a large sculpture of a humanoid head lies broken in half from top to bottom.

Let’s take a closer look.

Detail View #1 shows a piece of rock that certainly seems to have everything in the right place to denote a humanoid face: chin, lips, nose, eyes and what might be some kind of headdress are seen. Plus, the overall shape of the rock is that of (half) a humanoid head. What are we to make of this?

In Detail View #2 the image has been rotated to assume a more upright posture for the “head”. It would be easy enough in PhotoShop to accentuate the various light and dark areas to render a more face-like appearance. There are notorious YouTube channels like Paranormal Crucible who actively alter such images in order to get clicks. Their interest is monetary, not informative.

So, pareidolia or a genuine artifact? I’m on the fence. You be the judge.

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“SO, HOW DO I VIEW X3D STEREO?”

For another, more detailed method of viewing X3D stereo, click HERE.

(Click for full-sized image)

"SETTLEMENT WITH ARCH" by MarsX3D

Details: Category: Mars; Written by David Gannett; Hits: 940

“SETTLEMENT WITH ARCH” by MarsX3D

Curiosity Sol 1077 M-100 SW-NW PDS by Neville Thompson

Link: http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/195499/snapshots/623425

You can see in today’s Context View that we are almost “off the reservation” as far as the image is concerned. This makes the 3D processing rather challenging, but this anomaly is too good to skip. You can see for yourself the regular lines and in particular, the arch, at the upper left corner.

Our Detail View is one of those images where you have to take your time starting at the arch and slowly work your way down and to the right until you reach the long black wall. You will see buildings, steps and more. There’s even a black dome just under the left corner of the title graphic, to say nothing of the large white dome to the right of the arch.

Bear in mind that this area is a considerable distance away from Curiosity’s cameras, perhaps about two miles, so this is a sizable settlement (if that’s what it is). If it’s uninhabited, one can only imagine the rich treasure-trove of artifacts this site contains. If it IS inhabited...that’s a whole different matter!

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“SO, HOW DO I VIEW X3D STEREO?”

For another, more detailed method of viewing X3D stereo, click HERE.

(Click for full-sized image)