We have mentioned and written about moving Martian stones more than once. earlier, and this is a completely fresh fact. Recently Sent automatic station Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), now in Martian orbit, puzzled specialists.
Into the lens of a HiRISE (High Resolution) camera Imaging Science Experiment) whose work NASA is responsible for and University of Arizona (University of Arizona), hit a very strange thing. He clearly moved along the surface of Red the planet. Specifically for the area called Nili Fossae with coordinates 22 ° N, 75 ° E, next to which is a fairly large crater.
A photo from open sources
Apparently, the item is cobblestone. Very large cobblestone – more than 20 meters in diameter. And even bigger. He rolled, leaving the trace is a very deep furrow. At least she can be seen with orbits.
A photo from open sources
Why did the cobblestone roll? This question is asked by the researcher. Phil Plait, host of the Bad Astronomy blog on the site NewScientist Magazine. And he does not find an intelligible answer. Slope, that the cobblestone smelled not cool at all – the whole Nili area Fossae is raised just 600 meters above the surface. So what could make such an impressive stone move? Marsquake? Meteorite strike? Blown away? Was it washed away? He set off on his own, as idol from easter island?
NASA is silent about this.
Phil himself pays attention to something else strange. If enlarge the photo of the furrow, you can see that it is intermittent. It was as if the cobblestone were rolling, stopping to rest. And with this moved at regular intervals.
Will the object continue moving? This can only be clarified. NASA, taking pictures of the area of interest after some time.
A photo from open sources
By the way, experts believe that Nili Fossae is rich in clay sediments, which indicate that in the past there was water. Initially, it was supposed to land the Curiosity rover. But in in the end, he was sent to Gale Crater, which seemed more attractive. Sorry, however. Now we’ll have figured out why Martian cobblestones do not sit still. ‘Cause this one doesn’t seem to one such is a “non-lying stone.”
Suburban train
The furrow and the object that left it were noticed in the picture from Mars famous American scholar Joseph Skipper (Joseph P. Skipper, Investigator) – a virtual archaeologist who “leads excavation “on other planets, looking for obvious anomalies. Discover These helped him online resource Google Mars, photo for which supplied various devices in orbit of Krasnaya the planet.
The furrow is intermittent too. Despite its obvious resemblance to in the Nili Fossae area, Skipper believes in the lens hit a certain transport system, similar to either the iron one, or on the monorail.
“Rails” stretch to the crater Gale, which is now working Rover Curiosity. But, alas, they are about 900 kilometers away.
The most amazing thing is that the “archaeologist” discovered not only the “iron road “, but also a likely means of transportation on it. Good noticeable rectangular object located directly on the “rails”. is he By the way, it casts a shadow that looks like it’s itself the object hovers above the surface. Railway carriage? Or still large cobblestone?
An object similar to a wagon hovering above the rails. “Rails” too intermittent.
A photo from open sources
The Transport System is located 900 kilometers from Gale Crater
A photo from open sources
It would be naive, of course, to think that trains were traveling along Mars. But how to explain that the furrow stretches in both directions from this cobblestone? Did he ride back and forth? And why such a strange shadow?
Local yeti tired
Not calm in Gale Crater itself. In a larger image, which was made by the MRO probe from a height of 275 kilometers, enthusiasts examined a vertical object that casts a shadow. A behind it is a chain of prints. Moving cobblestone again?
If you don’t think about the cobblestones, you can imagine that the object is it is a living creature, and the prints are the traces it left. The trace chain is meandering. It was as if the creature was wagging. Wearily.
A photo from open sources
If you look very carefully and for a long time, it seems that creatures have a head, shoulders and legs.
Arizona University specialists detect life on Mars generally and upright creatures in particular do not comment. But they indicate that the resolution of the image is 25 centimeters per pixel This means that objects smaller than meter. More precisely – 83 centimeters across.
It turns out that the creature is somewhere under 4 meters tall. We have on Earth – of the two-legged – about such only “snow people”. Or yeti, as they are also called. Ours, of course, are smaller – above 3 meters don’t swipe. But on Mars they can – there gravity is less.
A photo from open sources
Continuing to fantasize about life on Mars, you will notice another chain of tracks – it’s a little higher. And the tracks themselves are much larger. And the “step” is wider. It’s as if some Martian was walking here elephant.
AND AT THIS TIME
And on the moon the same
The image with a stone crawling along the moon transmitted a probe to the Earth, currently in lunar orbit (NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera -LROC). Similar on our satellite to observe before did not happen.
When did the cobblestone travel? It seems that the other day – the tracks look very clear. Experts at Arizona University however, it is believed: something disturbed him … millions of years ago. They are discerned small craters, which in some places “clogged” trace from the cobblestone. And this indicates that the event has occurred. long.
A photo from open sources
The experts cannot say for sure, but they believe that the trace was abandoned from 50 to 100 million years ago. But no more. Otherwise it has already worn off under the influence of the solar wind.
The diameter of the cobblestone at the university is estimated at 9 meters.
PROBABLE CAUSE
The devil is a real power Some experts sin on the devils – dusty Martian devils (Martian dust devils). So called whirlwinds that rush over the surface of Red the planet. These alien “brothers” of terrestrial tornadoes are, surprisingly, not so rare guests in a local very discharged atmosphere. Why they appear, is still not clear. Possibly enough worthless Martian pressure to spin the devils dust or snow. A perhaps electrostatic forces are involved in the “damn” process. But the devils are really powerful. And it is possible that they are capable of move objects on the surface.
A photo from open sources
Last year, for example, the MRO photographed a giant whirlwind. Its serpentine pillar was 780 meters high and 30 meters thick. It was worn at a speed of more than 100 kilometers per hour.
But what moves cobblestones on the moon, where there is no atmosphere at all? Till this is a mystery.
Time Yeti Life Stones Moon Mars NASA Snow Mars Rover Curiosity
