Watch NASA’s Perseverance Rover Land on Mars! This Thursday 18 Feb :-)

Can you get them to pass over in an hour or two - I've just seen this post

So they reckon there are large volumes of water locked up in the bedrock of Mars. And there is a lot of whispers about a potential water table beneath the surface.

My understanding is that there will possibly be a lot of water in the bedrock itself, below the surface. Just like it is on Earth. Certain sedimentary rocks on Earth contain water. But they are also talking about water locked up in some minerals. And then there is the potential for free water too.

I didn’t realise quite how much speculation there has been or the nature of it. Not everything hits the news, TV or the papers.

Googling reveals a lot that we wouldn’t normally be aware of. I have been surprised to see that a geological time scale is already in place such as here:

https://sci.esa.int/web/mars-express/-/55481-the-ages-of-mars

Also referenced in Wikipedia. And this paper for example, which of course is speculation, sums up the thought processes behind the entire mission:

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2017JE005478

I like the way they include a plain language summary:

“This paper reviews the rocks and minerals on Mars that could potentially host fossils or other signs of ancient life preserved since Mars was warmer and wetter billions of years ago. We apply recent results from the study of Earth's fossil record and fossilization processes, and from the geological exploration of Mars by rovers and orbiters, in order to select the most favoured targets for astrobiological missions to Mars. We conclude that mudstones rich in silica and iron‐bearing clays* currently offer the best hope of finding fossils on Mars and should be prioritized, but that several other options warrant further research. We also recommend further experimental work on how fossilization processes operate under conditions analogous to early Mars.”

The thrust of the paper confirms my assertion that rock samples are everything in this mission. Until they get some under the microscope then it will remain speculation. They have picked a good spot and got the kit on the surface. Now they need to cut some core and either send people up there to study them or get them back down to Earth for the same purpose.

* Note the reference to muds and clays. Their great hope of finding these is in the fan deposits just inside what remains of the crater lake.

I see Ingenuity has just completed its maiden flight on Mars. I am looking forward to some good images in due course.

Making oxygen and first flight on Mars:

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56844601

Ironic that India are running out of oxygen and are involved with rocket science.

Thought to have been broken down by the freeze thaw action of ice / water.

So they have been having trouble getting a core on Mars.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58148756

This could easily be because the rock isn’t well cemented. Either loose or weakly cemented. Or because the coring device is struggling to allow the cored rock into the barrel or tube (jammed) and has ground down the remainder.

Well, it is time to take the telescope seriously now, Druk1.
My son wanted me to look at the stars last week when we had an amazingly clear, star-filled view.
I went inside to get my camera and tripod and by the time I got outside again, we couldn't see diddly squat.

Do you have a telescope?

Does anyone here have any interest in the skies and beyond?

I don't have a telescope, I have a spotting scope, a pair of binoculars, and an image intensifying night sight all bought when I lived on Gibraltar.

I am looking at a Aomekie Telescope and laser collimator on Amazon but dallying as there is a Sky-Watcher Skyliner-200P Classic Parabolic Dobsonian for £420 at Wex. (No tripod though - perhaps I can use my own.
https://www.wexphotovideo.com/sky-watcher-skyliner-200p-classic-parabolic-dobsonian-telescope-10565/
I am looking to find a friendly forum like ours to ask many questions.

I have good uninterrupted view from the 3rd floor of my house, facing East but North I have light pollution from Dumaguete City. I go up there and see if I can recognize the planets and stars, it's nice and cool with a bottle of light beer. I have also a decent view from the back bedroom window, I like to look at Venus as it descends behind the mountain (West)

Thanks for that, Jim.

I bought the kids a pair of Olympus 8x40 binoculars a few years ago, Jim.
They were reasonably priced and I was encouraging my son to help me see more detail when I got the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 out and onto the 7D.

It seems that stargazing in our country is hindered by cloud cover and I don't know if paying for a more expensive scope will be worth the money because of the cloud problem.
I am not clear if telescopes can see through the clouds very well.
I know you have some good photos of the moon. How many nights did you wait for good visibility?