[X] My Assistant

[dilo]

Marswiggle, the idea of a paleocrater around VC temepted me too some days ago: the tilted profile and the depression on the left strongly suggest this structure! however, satellite images and Mola data do not show clear hints of it, apart the abrupt end of the etched terrain that could coincide with northern end of this supposed crater.
And Doug, I think your argument in favour of the near rim interpretation (absence of bright outcrops) is the most convincing up to now!
Anyway, this is the Sol818 PanCam stretch (if someone wants to add to the movie!):

[ElkGroveDan]

I would like to start an informal poll regarding Beacon Rock or Outcrop ending on May 20 when we might know where it's located at? Is Beacon Rock on the near rim or far rim? I will say far Rim. I will log the votes daily and see what everyone thinks.

I'm going to go out on a limb (or should I say going out on a rim? ) and say it's the FAR rim. For lack of a better term it appears like a discontinuity -- it's out of place along the near rim. My guess is that when we finally do see that far rim, the beacon is going to be one of many similar such bumps and lumps, albeit the highest one.

By the way this is a fun game to play for those who like to hike or mountain climb -- especially with two or more companions. Pick out features in the distance and speculate on their nature or placement. As your perspective changes the group can continue to debate the evolving information. It works on a long drive too, especially through desert regions with wide open vistas.

[prometheus]

The shadows in this 8x vertical xeyed stretch are suggestive that we may be seeing the inside of the far rim

[sranderson]

Well folks, my initial gut feel was far rim, but the parallax changes favor the near rim (or less likely, a unique gap in the near rim than frames a view of the far rim).

I think I have to go with near rim. I would guess that it is a large piece of evaporite that overturned onto the apron (or somewhat less likely, just sticks up at a steep angle). There may be other such pieces, but this one would be by far the biggest.

We'll see what we find.

Scott

[lyford]

if we are allowed to use our gut then here is my purely O.O.M.A. guesstimate - green is near rim, red is far rim.
I have no idea what I am doing....

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[djellison]

I'm not sure what's going on on the left (I don't think we have the imagery to tell yet) but the lump to the right is the near rim, I'm increasingly sure of it. The features on it are orientated 90 degrees out from what they would be for far rim features.

Doug

[prometheus]

This analysis suggests the far rim is significantly elevated above the near rim:

http://gallery.perfext.com/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=69

[Tesheiner]

I would like to start an informal poll regarding Beacon Rock or Outcrop ending on May 20 when we might know where it's located at? Is Beacon Rock on the near rim or far rim? I will say far Rim. I will log the votes daily and see what everyone thinks.

My take is for near rim.
Given that a "restricted sols" period is just starting (unsure), I have my doubts about knowing the answer to the "Beacon's Mystery" by the end of this week.

[djellison]

I think we'd argue that one to death - because it's basically a pixel or three - and I can imagine someone arguing that those pixels had a contribution from near and far rims together as the crater resolves itself.

Doug

[Tesheiner]

If we take into account the beacon alone, I agree with you.
But if you consider the change of angular separation between the beacon and Corner Crater since e.g. sol 800, I think it's quite clear where is it located.

[djellison]

Given that we're stretching a few tiny pixels into a whole swath of detail... I wouldn't say anything is 'clear' yet.

It's still very confusing really - why do we only see an elevated area for half of what should be the near rim. What do we see where there isn't an elevated area. etc etc etc

I swing toward what we see being the near rim, but it's a whole lot of infering from a few stretched pixels.

Doug

[ustrax]

My bet would be on the near rim, here:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b14/ustrax3/beacon3.jpg

[climber]

OK, if there is a pool I would say, it's the FAR rim for 3 reasons.
1- As Doug said, it's the far rim because it's the far rim
2- I want to win at least once over Tesheiner
3- What we see has to be vertical, and, if I refer to Endurance, vertical rocks were inside the crater. Like this : http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...=15&#entry54153

[Bob Shaw]

Perhaps I've missed it, but has anyone here looked at the orientation of Victoria in terms of sunrise and sunset? I'm thinking of the classic view of Endurance with Burns Cliff illuminated by the sun as seen across the plain. In terms of the projected drive route, how does that line up with the illumination?

Bob Shaw

[djellison]

Well - at sunrise you'd have the east exterior slope and western interior slope illuminated. At sunset, the western exterior slope and eastern interior slope

Unfortunately, we're coming from the north so we won't have that facing-east-at-sunset-with-sun-behind-us illumination we had at Endurance.

HOWEVER - a time lapse of Pancam imagery centered on VC would be interesting.

Doug