Possible Meteorite Imaged By Opportunity Rover

Matt_dk writes "The Opportunity rover has eyed an odd-shaped, dark rock, about 0.6 meters (2 feet) across on the surface of Mars, which may be a meteorite. The team spotted the rock called 'Block Island,' on July 18, 2009, in the opposite direction from which it was driving. The rover then backtracked some 250 meters (820 feet) to study it closer. Scientists will be testing the rock with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to get composition measurements and to confirm if indeed it is a meteorite."

Comments

I was worried for a second...

[mongoose(!no)]

I was worried for a second when I misread the title as "Possible Meteorite Imagined By Opportunity Rover".

Wow!

[hansede]

Looks like the Monolith was discovered on Mars. For some reason I was expecting it to be found on the Moon . . .

Re:NASA should make RC toys

[Canazza]

Just let me attach an "Ion Cannon" to it :D

A meteorite?

[VincenzoRomano]

that must have softlanded not to leave the crater!
As an alternate scientific hypotesis I would say the martians just put a rock there to make fun of us!

Late-Breaking News from the Council

[Tackhead]

Citizens of our peaceful red world stand engorged with pride, as confirmation has come in that the second of the robotic invaders from the blue planet has been immobilized. K'Breel, speaker for the Council of Elders, made the announcement from his flagship:

When we embarked upon this campaign, we had no idea how long it would take. Having buried the first monstrosity up to its wheels in the ashes of legions of the blue planet's soldiers, our Kinetic Bombardment Force has turned its attention to the region infested by the monstrosity's evil twin. Rejoice, podmates, for even the blue planet's own puerile propaganda illustrates that their second robotic monstrosity now stands paralyzed with fear!

When a journalist suggested that the blue planet's robot had merely paused to inspect a meteorite, K'Breel had the traitor's gelsacs stapled to the heat shield of his flagship, and initiated re-entry procedures.

Re:Late-Breaking News from the Council

[Chris Burke]

For the love of Jeebus, please Martian journalists, please learn to stop contradicting K'Breel to his face!

Meteorite From Earth

[geoffrobinson]

It would be humorous if the meteorite on Mars was of Earth origin (blow back from Earth getting hit by something). We found evidence of life on Mars! Err, it's from Earth.

Re:I bet its an obelisk

[Tubal-Cain]

Just hope it's not a monolith.

Re:NASA should make RC toys

[James Skarzinskas]

IE users?

Re:I bet its an obelisk

[davester666]

It's probably an native crouching down, thinking "if I just stay still, maybe it won't probe me".

No chance, because paybacks a bitch. Now, we just need to figure out which end is the front and which is the back...

Re:Im no scientist

[RockWolf]

No, the moon has virtually no atmosphere unlike Mars which has a thin wind, causing erosive effects. The moon is like a museum until something hits it.

At which point it continues to be a museum, just with a hole in it.

/~Rockwolf