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Mars Lander Sees Falling Snow

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the just-a-bad-signal dept.

Riding with Robots writes "NASA reports that the Phoenix Mars Lander has detected snow falling from Martian clouds. According to the Canadian team running a weather experiment, a laser instrument designed to study how the atmosphere and surface interact on Mars has detected snow from clouds about 4 kilometers above the landing site. Data shows the snow vaporizing before reaching the surface, but one of the mission scientists said, 'We'll be looking for signs that the snow may even reach the ground.' Spacecraft soil experiments have also provided evidence of past interaction between minerals and liquid water."

19 of 118 comments (clear)

  1. If there is water... by MosesJones · · Score: 4, Funny

    Mars is essentially in the same orbit... Mars is somewhat the same distance from the Sun, which is very important. We have seen pictures where there are canals, we believe, and water. If there is water, that means there is oxygen. If oxygen, that means we can breathe.
            Dan Quayle, 8/11/89

    Turns out Dan was right ;)

    --
    An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
    1. Re:If there is water... by LiENUS · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Now all we need is to get enough nuclear fissible material into the core of mars to start back up its protective magnetic field to keep any atmosphere we might create there from being stripped away.

    2. Re:If there is water... by KillerBob · · Score: 4, Informative

      Mars having 1/3 the gravity has more to do with its thin atmosphere than any lack of magnetic field. Having no magnetic field would remove protection from solar wind and radiation, making it unable to support life as we know it, but wouldn't actually affect how thick an atmosphere the planet could retain.

      Mars has a magnetic field, btw. It's Venus that doesn't.

      --
      If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
    3. Re:If there is water... by KillerBob · · Score: 4, Informative

      bleh... that'll teach me to post when awake... Mars has no magnetic field, Venus has a very very weak one.

      --
      If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
    4. Re:If there is water... by elrous0 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Water, soil, sunlight...does that mean we can grow potatos?

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    5. Re:If there is water... by marcosdumay · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb"

      No problem, your sig excuses you.

      --
      Rethinking email
    6. Re:If there is water... by Nixoloco · · Score: 3, Informative


      Without a strong magnetic field, the solar wind will strip away the atmosphere over time. Lighter elements especially, will be stripped away rapidly.

      NASA seems to think that over 1/3 of Mars atmosphere was stripped away by solar winds over the years.

      Also, Venus is experiencing the same.

    7. Re:If there is water... by isomeme · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yep, which means Mars supports vodka production, the key element in colonizing a cold, dark, windswept wasteland.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a skull.
  2. Canadians? Snow? Mars? by Toshito · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is it April 1st again?

    --
    Try it! Library of Babel
  3. Canadian Funding rounds by MosesJones · · Score: 5, Funny

    Canadian Scientist: We'd like some money to look for Snow on Mars
    Canadian Funding: Errr we have lots of Snow already

    CS: Ahh but if we find snow on Mars then we can ski-doo on Mars
    CF: Errr we can ski-doo here

    CS: Well yes but if we find the snow first we'll get first tracks which means the Yanks will have to let us go on the manned mission
    CF: Sweeeeet

    Yes folks, its all about finding freshies and there is no lengths to which Canadians will not go in the search for fresh powder.

    --
    An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
    1. Re:Canadian Funding rounds by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 3, Interesting

      With 26km of vertical, I'm bringing my skis.

  4. Martian Lander Snow Angels next? by Zymergy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Surely someone at NASA has thought about making the first extra-terrestrial 'snow angel' with one of their landers? You know, for Kids...
    (Too bad the Hubble will not be able to take a picture of it though... http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/29/1846238 )

    1. Re:Martian Lander Snow Angels next? by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I really wish NASA thought more like this. I'm not literally talking about snow angels, but simply trying to make science more accessible to the public. Hell, some probes don't even have true-color cameras. Don't sacrifice the science, but go for some flash as well.

      --
      I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
    2. Re:Martian Lander Snow Angels next? by Chris+Burke · · Score: 3, Funny

      *blink*

      Ok, how about panache then?

      Is that what the "P" setting on my digital camera is for?

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
  5. Neat, virga on Mars. by Neanderthal+Ninny · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Rain or snow, like virga, on Mars may not be consisting of water only. Here is the Wikipedia entry on virga:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virga

    Also Universities Space Research Association has some information on virga:
    http://epod.usra.edu/archive/epodviewer.php3?oid=47776
    They have a excellent NOAA photo of virga.

  6. Re:Robot Santa has moved shop! by DittoBox · · Score: 4, Funny

    In Soviet Russia...we have Red Christmas!

    --
    Good. Cheap. Fast. Pick Two.
  7. Re:the excitement about finding water on mars by filthpickle · · Score: 3, Interesting

    but maybe there is just enough in some places that it can support life...which would mean that there is life on 2 planets in our solar system...which means that it almost certainly exists somewhere else in the galaxy too, which is kinda exciting to me.

  8. Re:Robot Santa has moved shop! by pushing-robot · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's not snow! It's falling Ash! Run little lander, ruuuuun!

    I think we'll be safe, as long as he's not falling chainsaw side down.

    --
    How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
  9. "Dropo, you are the laziest man on Mars!" by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    This would be the perfect time for Santa Claus to conquer the Martians.

    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?