Using an imaging spectrometer on MRO, we found hydrated minerals on slopes where mysterious streaks are seen on Mars. One thing that researchers noticed was that the darkish streaks appear to ebb and flow over time. During warm seasons, they darken and then fade in cooler seasons.
When discovered in 2010, these downhill flows known as recurring slope lineae (RSL) were thought to be related to liquid water. With the recent spectral detection of molecular water, we’re able to say it’s likely a shallow subsurface flow explains the darkening.
Mars is so cold, how could liquid water flow there? Great question! Since this liquid water is briny, the freezing point would be lower than that of pure water. Also, these saline slopes appear on Mars when temperatures are above minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 23 Celsius).
The dark, narrow streaks flowing downhill in the below image are roughly the length of a football field.
So there’s water, but how much? Currently we think this area has a very small amount of water, probably just enough to wet the top layer of the surface of Mars. The streaks are around four to five meters wide and 200 to 300 meters long.
Could humans drink this water? The salts in the water appear to be perchlorates, so you probably wouldn’t want to drink the water. It would most likely be very salty and would need to be purified before human consumption.
Perchlorate…What is that? A perchlorate is a salt that absorbs water from the air. Learn more about how it’s helping us unlock the mysteries of Mars in this video:
What’s next? We want to look for more locations where brine flows may occur. We have only covered 3% of Mars at resolutions high enough to see these features.
For more information on the Mars announcement, visit our Journey to Mars landing page. There is also a full recap of the press conference HERE, and a short recap below.
One start toward reclaiming conversation is to reclaim solitude. Some of the most crucial conversations you will ever have will be with yourself. Slow down sufficiently to make this possible. And make a practice of doing one thing at a time. Think of unitasking as the next big thing. In every domain of life, it will increase performance and decrease stress.
But doing one thing at a time is hard, because it means asserting ourselves over what technology makes easy and what feels productive in the short term. Multitasking comes with its own high, but when we chase after this feeling, we pursue an illusion. Conversation is a human way to practice unitasking.
Time for a Lunar eclipse! Final eclipse in latest tetrad will occur at prime time in the US.
Sunday, September 27, will see a rare total eclipse of the Moon while it is at orbital perigee. This means the Moon will be at its closest distance to Earth while crossing through its shadow.
The entire eclipse, from first entering the Penumbra to exiting it, lasts 5 hours, 11 minutes, while the total eclipse within the Umbra lasts 1 hour, 12 minutes.
Sunday’s eclipse is the last in a series of four eclipses that occurred during the most recent lunar tetrad. Normally, every one in three lunar eclipses are total; however, when four in a row occur, it is called a tetrad. The other three eclipses in this tetrad occurred on April 15, 2014, October 8, 2014, and April 4, 2015.
This is the second tetrad of the 21st century, the first of which occurred in 2003-2004. There will be eight tetrads in this century, the next one occurring in 2032-2033.
Although the next partial lunar eclipse will occur on August 7, 2017, this will be the last total eclipse until January 31, 2018.
Looking at the universe Naked- An Ontological Awakening.
It was Stephen Hawking who said:
We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the universe. That’s what makes us special.
The pictures showcase the universe in its cosmic brilliance. Spanning the entire electromagnetic spectrum, these images have been false- colored to help us perceive the universe that lies beyond our visual cognizance.
