Mythos_Ruler Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/spotlight/o...9_20040304.htmlWhat Is It? Like a rabbit in a hat, the identity of an oddity that looks like "bunny ears" in a picture from Mars has eluded the science and engineering teams. The public, also fascinated with the mysterious object, has asked in a slew of e-mails: What is it? It is a yellowish object measuring about 4 to 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) long that made its debut when Opportunity's eyes welcomed Earth to a new neighborhood on Mars in her mission success panoramic image. Meridiani Planum is a landscape unlike any other stop on our decades-long tour of the red planet. Still, it wasn't the conspicuous bedrock outcropping near the horizon that initially fascinated many people. It was the "bunny ears." Bemused By Bunny Temporarily sharing a large workroom in the building that houses rover mission control, engineers were still meticulously reconstructing the events of entry, descent and landing and scientists were anxiously poring over the pictures their most recently successful twin was returning. Jeff Johnson, a scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey and a member of the panoramic camera team, heard from others about a small, fuzzy-looking object in the mission success panorama. Viewing the image on his computer screen, Johnson wondered aloud, "What in the world is this?" Colleagues gathered around his computer table, trying to make sense of the oddity. Most team members agreed that the "bunny ears" had been, at some point, part of the rover or its lander. The yellowish color led many to conclude that the object was a piece of airbag material. The Mars Pathfinder mission set a precedent in 1997 for puzzling pieces around the landing site. An object dubbed "Pinky" caught the attention of the Pathfinder science team and the public. Although never positively identified, it was thought to be a piece of Kapton tape – an adhesive used often in aerospace applications.How Did They Track the Mysterious Object? To further complicate the Meridiani mystery, when Johnson tried to image the quirky "ears" at higher resolution, they had vanished from where they were originally spotted – about 4.5 meters (15 feet) from the lander. Johnson, intrigued by their disappearance, was good-naturedly assigned by Steve Squyres (the mission's principal investigator) to "track the bunny." He discovered that the object was visible in navigation camera images acquired on landing day – but lying a meter (about 3 feet) further from the lander, up the crater slope. Using JPL-designed software, scientists are able to measure the "bunny ears" in each image where they appear. The object is about the same size in every image. "After looking at pictures of Opportunity's lander up-close, I think we might have, again, spotted the bunny," said Johnson. "It looks as if the object has been blown under the north-facing egress ramp." Johnson and his colleagues believe that a light wind whirling from the north over Opportunity's Challenger Memorial Station landing site could have transported the article. Its small size indicates that it would be easily carried by even a light wind. The three-color Pancam images acquired of the object as part of the mission success panorama even showed some evidence that the object moved slightly between images from the gentle wind. Johnson estimates that the breeze pushed the "bunny ears" an estimated 5 to 6 meters (about 16 to 20 feet). "There's no evidence of a mark that it left in the soil as it moved," Johnson noted. "It was light enough and small enough to not leave any ‘footprints'." If Not a Bunny, Then What? Without seeing the "bunny ears" object up close with our own eyes, it's difficult to provide a positive identification. However, scientists and engineers are quick to deflate the myth that it is anything inexplicable. "Our team believes that this odd-looking feature is a piece of soft material that definitely came from our vehicle," said Rob Manning, lead engineer for entry, descent and landing. "We cannot say exactly where it came from but we can say that there are several possibilities: cotton insulation, Vectran covers and wraps from the airbag,Zylon bridle tensioning ties, or felt insulation from the gas generators.... The list goes on. We do not think this is parachute material, however, due to its color (it does not look blue enough to be the undyed nylon or red enough to be the dyed nylon). Knowing the possibility that we could have left a bit of a mess nearby, once we saw this feature we only marveled at how clean everything looked and we have not given it another thought. We try to make sure that bits do not fall off, but they do, and we were not at all surprised." Johnson took the visual color clues a step further. He measured the visible light spectrum from the Pancam image of the "bunny ears" and compared it to the spectrum of a sample of airbag material. The nearly identical spectra are distinct from typical martian soil or rock spectra and lead Johnson to believe that the "bunny ears" are, indeed, a wayward piece of airbag material or something similar. ----------------------------------------------- Mythos Ruler's ANALYSISThese startling images clearly show an evasive pattern being executed by the alien lifeform. It clearly wishes to escape detection on it's recon mission to assess what danger, if any, our lander poses to it's species.The following are an artist's concept of the obviously HOSTILE liefeforms infesting the Red Planet:And our tactical analysis of their attack patterns:As you can see, the enemy uses highly evolved formations and tactics. See how they engage in the "wingman" philosophy as would any USAF squadron would employ. This clearly demonstrates their knowledge of our military tactics and maneouvres.I hope this briefing shocks you all to action. Write your representative in whatever form of legislative body your home country has established. Join your local Boy Scout Troop. Do SOMETHING to help curb this imminent and growing threat before it is too late.... before they can launch Easter Eggs our way!*P.S: All citizens are urged to keep tabs on your neighbors' domesticated animals, especially of the rodent variety, as they may be found to be in collusion with the alien infestation.*note: Both the CIA and INTERPOL neither confirm nor deny the existence of the affore mentioned Easter Egg weapon - only that the capability exists to possibly someday train their scientists to think about making nuclear or biological Intersolar Easter Eggs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rohirwine Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 rotfl Quite exilarating! I wonder if we should make a pre-emptive attack on those awful beings.Let's annihilate that red bolshevic and traitor planet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufinwe Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 As for me, I think they are mutant Iraqi officers who exiled to Mars ... they are preparing a WMD attack on the US ... I guess in the next few days, Bush is going to send some interstellar spaceship carriers and set up a new Mars government with imported mutant Iraqis ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythos_Ruler Posted March 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 You both have been marked for the next round of exterminations.Anyone else wish to make a mockery of this disturbing development? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingold Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 I wonder how will they get along the earths bunnys after they conquer us.Oh crap we are doomed...3 ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tutankhamun Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 That is really neat! Thanks for sharing it with us Mythos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeOptimist Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 LOL, thanks for sharing, Michael! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkAngelBGE Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 Yeah, great stuff Brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Op Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 [English accent]Meh, you pansy Michael!!! One Martian Rabbit stew coming right up.[/English accent] *Black Op gets killed by Martian Bunny Rabbit*Lol, great find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chichigrande Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 Busts out the machine gun and starts obliterating the weakling rabbits!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aeros Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 I'm still scared of that face they found on mars' surface 20 years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chichigrande Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 Ya,was that ever explained or was it just some wierd phenomena? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythos_Ruler Posted March 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 A few years ago during a flyover, they reimaged the "face" with higher reolution cameras. It turned out to be anything BUT a face.Original 1970s image from Viking I New, high res image (2001)http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast24may_1.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chichigrande Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 OK cool. Now let's get back on topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rohirwine Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 OK cool. Now let's get back on topic. Matt, cool down: that was the Red Hot Chili Rabbits Hangar: the HQ of the forthcoming invasion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeru Posted March 12, 2004 Report Share Posted March 12, 2004 I was very upset to hear about this development. I doubt I will be able to sleep at night until this threat is dealt with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElfTheHunter Posted March 13, 2004 Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 That article is obviously a lie, and a pathetic one at that!*Martian Bunny jumps out of jacket*There are no such beings as Martian Bunny Rabbits, and they in no way have Earth informants!*grabs Martian Bunny and stuff into jacket again* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chichigrande Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 I didn't post that, or at least I don't remember doing that. I think I ment to put that in another thread. Sorry for the inconvenience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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