Mars Lander Snaps the Most Detailed Pics Yet

An anonymous reader writes "The Mars Lander has taken its very first microscopic image of a piece of Martian dust (image). The particle, according to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is shown at a higher magnification than anything ever seen from another planet. The piece of dust is a rounded particle about a millionth of a meter across. This particle is one of the countless specks of dust that continually swirl around the Red Planet, coloring the Martian sky pink. 'Taking the images required the highest resolution microscope operated off of Earth and a specially designed substrate to hold the Martian dust,' said Tom Pike, a Phoenix science team member. 'We always knew it was going to be technically very challenging to image particles this small.'"

Comments

"Millionth of a meter"

[blind biker]

It's called micrometer. I know, that sounds too sciency, sorry.

Re:"Millionth of a meter"

[Eudial]

It's called micrometer. I know, that sounds too sciency, sorry.

Meter sounds too European. A five thousand thousandth of a rod is colloquial enough for those imperialists to understand.

Re:"Millionth of a meter"

[Anonymous Coward]

I can just imagine a specification calling for a gap of 100 micrometers and a NASA contractor supplying 100 instruments...

Re:"Millionth of a meter"

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe we should ask the martians what their units of measure are.

Re:"Millionth of a meter"

[Smivs]

The Cow as a unit of measurement? What a load of bullocks!

Re:"Millionth of a meter"

[TriggerFin]

p>A centimetre, nanometre, micrometre, kilometre is a specific distance.

"Metre" is mispronounced by any English-speaking person using it. If the "e" is after the "r" then say it that way.

Kilometry: the science of measuring things greater than about six tenths of a mile long.

wrong approach

[larry bagina]

When we wanted to analyze moon rocks, we didn't send a microscope to the moon, we brought the moon rocks to the microscope (on Earth). I think it would save a lot of time and money to just send up some astronauts to colelcts some dust and rocks and bring them back. I guess NASA needs to waste money to justify a bigger budget.

Re:wrong approach

[eln]

Have you seen the ticket prices on a round-trip to Mars lately? No to mention if you don't upgrade to first class you get to spend the next 6 months with some guy drooling on you in his sleep from the seat next to you and some brat kicking the back of your chair the entire time. Not to mention, the hotel accommodations on Mars are poor at best, and ridiculously overpriced.

Seriously man, maybe if the spacelines and the hotels could get their shit together and make it a worthwhile experience, you might see more astronauts willing to go up there to collect some rocks (did I mention the cargo fees on getting that stuff back? If it doesn't fit in your carry-on, you might as well just forget it!). As it is, it takes some doing just to convince lifeless robots to go up there, and even then they bitch the whole time.

Confucius say

[Profane MuthaFucka]

Confucius say "Sending giant rocket to see little piece of dust like bringing mountain to Mohammad."

Re:Confucius say

[Anonymous Coward]

Seeing as Confucius died almost a thousand years before Muhammed was born, that seems an unreliable quote.

Re:Confucius say

[Muad'Dave]

Nostradamus told Confucius about Muhammed.

Re:Very little science?

[jellomizer]

I think when I get home Ill Photoshop a dust mite on it and really shake the world.

In case of slashdotting . . .

[PeeAitchPee]

. . . here's another view of the piece of the Martian dust: .

Re:In case of slashdotting . . .

[street struttin']

And here's a close up: O

Good Intentions

[flaming error]

Either both you, and your moderators, are a little too quick on the button today, or I don't know what "+5 informative" means anymore.

The image proves it!

[Eg0Death]

Mars is made of Legos!

No stupid, its 1.05702341(10^-22) light years

[RudeIota]

rounded particle about a millionth of a meter across

Get it right.

While we're at it, maybe someone would care to share arbitrary comparisons to help us visualize... like if we could line these particles up from the Earth to the Moon, it would take nearly 3.84403(10^14) of them! Or, if we encircled the Earth with these particles, it would take nearly 4.0008(10^13)! Amazing!!! It's all so clear now.

Re:fp

[Anonymous Coward]

Frosty patch! (no, really.)

I think it depends on the size of the rod,

[DigitalReverend]

although they keep saying it's not the size of the rod that matters, but how it's used.