Probe Captures Avalanche on Mars

mdekato writes "MSNBC reports that NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured an avalanche on Mars' surface as it happened. Very good still images show what must have been an awesome sight. 'The full image reveals features as small as a desk in a strip of terrain 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) wide and more than 10 times that long, at 84 degrees north latitude. Reddish layers known to be rich in water ice make up the face of a steep slope more than 2,300 feet (700 meters) tall, running the length of the image. Mars' north pole is covered by a cap of ice, and it even snows there. The scientists suspect that more ice than dust probably makes up the material that fell from the upper portion of the scarp.'"

Comments

those poor martians

[jollyreaper]

That's what they get for straying off the marked path.

As small as a what?

[ricebowl]

'The full image reveals features as small as a desk in a strip of terrain 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) wide and more than 10 times that long, at 84 degrees north latitude.

I know that we've sent various missions to mars; rovers, probes, environmental impact among other what-have-you; but, and this, I feel is important, when did we send the office furniture?

Re:As small as a what?

[jaymzter]

My question is, if there's an avalanche on Mars, does it make any noise? If so, what color?

In Martian News Today

[Hoi Polloi]

"A skier died in an avalanche today while attempting a decent of the dangerous Xplplplt Cliffs near the North Pole. Search and rescue teams found the victim's body which suffered 8 broken limbs, damage to 2 heads, and 1 missing attenna. The victim did not appear to be wearing a teleporter as recommended for skiing in the backcountry."

He would have been OK, except

[EmbeddedJanitor]

he got hit my a flying desk.

Re:He would have been OK, except

[Gazzonyx]

I guess Balmer is stronger on Mars...