Author Archives: Chompsky

Aerial portraits by Kevin Krautgartner of the Wadden Sea to the southeast of the North Sea – the world’s largest unbroken system of intertidal sand, mud flats and wetlands. To wit:

A vast area along the coastlines of the three countries: The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009, it has a high biological diversity and is an important area for both breeding and migrating birds. During low tide the shallow water which is left on the sand forms incredible unique structures which can look completely different each day.

behance

Pareidolia – it’s a wonderful thing, especially on this scale. To wit:

Famous Martian rock mesas known by names like the Face on Mars appear quite natural when seen more clearly on better images. Is reality boring? Nobody knows why some clouds make rain. Nobody knows if life ever developed on Mars. Nobody knows why the laundry on the bedroom chair smells like root beer. Scientific exploration can not only resolve mysteries, but uncover new knowledge, greater mysteries, and yet deeper questions. As humanity explores our universe, perhaps fun — through discovery — is just beginning.

The one on the bottom right there?

That’s your ma, that is.

(Image: NASA, Viking 1 Orbiter)

apod

On sol 46 (April 6, 2021) the Perseverance rover held out a robotic arm to take its first selfie on Mars. To wit:

The WATSON camera at the end of the arm was designed to take close-ups of martian rocks and surface details though, and not a quick snap shot of friends and smiling faces. In the end, teamwork and weeks of planning on Mars time was required to program a complex series of exposures and camera motions to include Perseverance and its surroundings. The resulting 62 frames were composed into a detailed mosiac, one of the most complicated Mars rover selfies ever taken. In this version of the selfie, the rover’s Mastcam-Z and SuperCam instruments are looking toward WATSON and the end of the rover’s outstretched arm. About 4 metres from Perseverance is a robotic companion, the Mars Ingenuity helicopter.

(Image: NASA, JPL-Caltech, MSSS)

apod