http://marsjournal.org/contents/2010/0001/

Useful to remind yourself how many "HiRISE discoveries" were actually made by MOC.

If we've learnt one thing over the years, it's that everything on Mars has to be discovered at least 6 times. Thanks for the link - I'm travelling over the next few days and something meaty to read will be a big help. The initial 1986 letter is a nice touch.

Thanks for posting this interesting paper. It's full of fascinating historical tidbits.

Are you able to identify the member of the public who was responsible for more than half of the public targeting program requests?

TTT

Is NASA still funding MGS data analysis?

I was curious about that too. While it may not be kosher for him to be named here, it would seem like someone ought to send him an email to suggest he might like it here.

Unless, of course, he's a loony.

Um. Something went "click" in my head when I read that, Emily. Not sure we want to know the answer.

Maybe we already know him. Maybe he's already come and gone.

I love all of the background information on the saga of MOC and what it took to get the camera aboard the mission. It's fascinating to read about that side of things as you rarely get to hear about it, and it doesn't read like a dry technical account.

Now, if only the scientific community would fully realize that what MOC showed us is a completely different Mars than what we thought it was from Viking. People keep trying to force observations from MOC (and now from MRO) into the Viking view of Mars rather than realizing that the old view needs to be abandoned.