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El Dorado, The place formerly known as Ultreya
Reckless
post Dec 16 2005, 05:22 PM
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Well done Ustrax and thanks to Doug Ellison it's good to get a mention from the MER PI even for us lower down (but trying to climb) the stratigraphic layers of this great forum
biggrin.gif biggrin.gif biggrin.gif

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ustrax
post Dec 16 2005, 09:26 PM
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According to a very SSpecial update...

Q: Now, a concrete question...Is there any idea of what might be the origin of the dark sand at El Dorado?


A: Good question. That's one of the things we hope to learn by going there, if that's what we decide to do. My best guess is that it's sort of an eolian cul-de-sac, where the local configuration of terrain and prevailing wind flow means that sand can get in but can't get out again. If you look carefully, you'll see that there are several similar dark sand patches on the northern side of Clark Hill, in similar geometric configurations.

Q: Even now, looking at the recent images it looks to me that the sand filled an empty space and not just 'climbed the gentle hill slope, but probably I'm wrong.


A: I think that it probably just climbed a hill slope, but we should get a better handle on that once we're in position to do some good Pancam observations on it. As I write this we're planning the approach to Comanche (actually, to the smaller rock just north of Comanche). We'll execute the approach on Sol 697, and by the time we're in position to do IDD work we should also be in position to get our first decent look at El Dorado. Then we'll see what we see.


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"Ride, boldly ride," The shade replied, "If you seek for Eldorado!"
Edgar Alan Poe
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dot.dk
post Dec 16 2005, 09:38 PM
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QUOTE (ustrax @ Dec 16 2005, 09:26 PM)
According to a very SSpecial update...
*


So now your are corresponding directly with the master or what!? smile.gif

Can't you ask him to come in here instead and post some interesting tidbits? wink.gif


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Bill Harris
post Dec 16 2005, 10:10 PM
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QUOTE
sort of an eolian cul-de-sac


That is my favorite supposition, too. Just the right combination of wind direction, wind velocity, terrain and particle density happen to coexist and the dark sand collects and the light dust goes. You've seen that here, north of Clark Hill and in a couple of other spots in these hills. And you've also got the dark rock like at Comanche and First Base, so there is a close by source for dark sand.

We'll see what we see when we see it...

--Bill


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djellison
post Dec 16 2005, 10:19 PM
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I can well understand why Steve wouldnt want to visit and post here in person. Imagine Bono posting on a U2 forum wink.gif

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dilo
post Dec 16 2005, 10:55 PM
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This is another 3x stretch, now from NavCam mosaic of Sol694 (see full panorama).
Attached Image

I would like to dedicate this Eldorado view to Sergio Leone, who probably liked to shot a "spaghetti western" on this location (a little bit expensive trip for cast, however tongue.gif ).


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Mizar
post Dec 16 2005, 11:08 PM
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Hi there..
I'm a very newbie here... but I have to say:
This is the result of a vision. Great explorers earlier have visions.
We can read of their efforts in our historic books.
Thanks ustrax and Doug, and all others in this amazing internet community here!
And not only here, this effort send rumours along the whole planet!
Sure Steve understand that. I'm quite sure of that.

And I have to say: What a day !
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dilo
post Dec 16 2005, 11:20 PM
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Welcome Mizar, beautiful words! smile.gif


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bergadder
post Dec 16 2005, 11:46 PM
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Congratulations, Ustrax

Been doing some serious lurking on this forum over the last few months. Every day I get home I must get me ‘fix’ of Unmannedspaceflight.com.

I think you Ustrax and other members of the community, who show the world the passion for adventure, the human need to explore, to learn and create. I know I get a lot of that right here, so thanks to you all.

I believe from what we see and read from Steve, we find that same passion.
To Steve, (who I am sure drops by this community on a regular basis, based on some answers on his web site to questions on this forum) a very big thank-you. Thanks for the passion you bring to this world .
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ustrax
post Dec 17 2005, 01:46 AM
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Bill Harris...That was my first supposition, but where youread aeloian read aquifer...Thta goes a longway from MER's eam supposition...
djellison...can you?...I don't know...maybe...
dilo...it is curious to heard aboutEl Dorado when herzog's Quest for El Dorado is one of my favourite movies ever...Can't avoid to make a comparison between the crazy Kinski and the looney Ustrax...Just can't...sorry...
Oh Mizar...Brother in passion...it is so good to read on this house of knowledge!...
bergadder...I think we have to thank Doug the entrance of the MER team members on this forum...


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"Ride, boldly ride," The shade replied, "If you seek for Eldorado!"
Edgar Alan Poe
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mars loon
post Dec 17 2005, 02:08 AM
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a looney request.

while we ponder "El Dorado" and "Ultreya", what is the meaning behind "Ustrax" and the source of his passions and poetry?
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Bill Harris
post Dec 17 2005, 02:58 AM
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I dunno, but here's his blog: http://ultreyamars.blogspot.com/ . We can ponder that whilst he explains himself...

--Bill


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glennwsmith
post Dec 17 2005, 04:52 AM
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Doug, Ustrax, and all --

I love it!

And dot.dk, what is your background that you knew about this poem ?!?

Glenn
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dot.dk
post Dec 17 2005, 05:35 AM
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QUOTE (glennwsmith @ Dec 17 2005, 04:52 AM)
And dot.dk, what is your background that you knew about this poem ?!?

Glenn
*


I only knew it through google biggrin.gif


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- Steven Squyres
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CosmicRocker
post Dec 17 2005, 07:24 AM
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QUOTE (Bert @ Dec 16 2005, 03:48 AM)
The shadow of Husband Hill is what makes the difference this time, IMHO.
(This is just a wild guess, I have no hard numbers to prove it, like sun angles etc...)
*

Interesting thought... I wouldn't want to make too much out of a reference in a poem, but the explorer did meet a shadow, did he not? Maybe it's the shadow of the hill, or maybe it's a generalized shadow of winter.

*****************

Steve's recent "quick" update was interesting. Just a few days after saying they were heading for Home Plate, he says it's either Allegheny or El Dorado. Is Allegheny ridge that linear ridge with the mesas, trailing away from Home Plate? If they climb that, they would have good views of El Dorado and Home Plate, wouldn't they? And Home Plate would then be on a line between there and McCool Hill. Maybe Home Plate is not written off just yet. At least, I hope not.

Quoting SS:
"Once we've done our work at Comanche, then we have a really important decision to make. We need to keep moving quickly if we're going to get to McCool Hill and its sunny north-facing slopes by winter. We have two very enticing targets ahead of us after Comanche, and we've got to pick one of the two... there isn't time for both. One is a ridge off to the southeast that we've named Allegheny Ridge. The other is a large patch of dark sand off to the southwest that (with some inspiration from Edgar Alan Poe) we've named El Dorado. We'll get to Comanche, take pictures of both, and then pick one of the two... probably sometime next week. The seasons are changing rapidly at Gusev, and time is of the essence."

They have been moving forward at a pretty good pace, since descending Haskin's. I would have thought there would be time to go for a Home Run and still make it to the dugout before winter. Comanche looks pretty different. Gotta stop to thwack it. It sounds like they want to get well up onto McCool Hill before winter.


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...Tom

I'm not a Space Fan, I'm a Space Exploration Enthusiast.
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