NEW GIANT MONOLITH DISCOVERED ON PLANET MERCURY

Thu Nov 22, 2012 6:55 pm » by **-Marduk-**

This NASA image was labeled as: PIA15614: V for Victoria

what's that?

NASA wrote:Original Caption Released with Image:

This image is a portion of the MDIS global mosaic basemap that was acquired during MESSENGER's first year in orbit. The scene, with north to the right, shows a geological feature termed Victoria Rupes -- a long cliff or scarp that formed when Mercury shrank slightly as its core cooled. Rupes on Mercury are named for ships of discovery, and Victoria Rupes is named for the Victoria that formed part of Ferdinand Magellan's fleet in his 1519-1522 effort to circumnavigate Earth.

This geologic feature is of particular interest to MESSENGER scientists because it is part of a larger, linear set of contractional structures that may correspond to what is termed a fold-and-thrust (FAT) belt on Earth. FAT belts are common terrestrial surface features, and form when the crust is shortened due to compressional tectonism. Identifying FAT belts on Mercury will help scientists understand in more detail how that planet's crust has deformed through time.

Date Created: February 10, 2012
Instrument: Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Latitude Rang: 47° N to 59° N
Longitude Range: 321° E to 331° E
Resolution: 250 meters/pixel
Scale: The crater just left of center is approximately 42 km (26 mi.) in diameter
Projection: Azimuthal equidistant

The MESSENGER spacecraft is the first ever to orbit the planet Mercury, and the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history and evolution of the Solar System's innermost planet. Visit the Why Mercury? section of this website to learn more about the key science questions that the MESSENGER mission is addressing. During the one-year primary mission, MDIS acquired 88,746 images and extensive other data sets. MESSENGER is now in a year-long extended mission, during which plans call for the acquisition of more than 80,000 additional images to support MESSENGER's science goals.

These images are from MESSENGER, a NASA Discovery mission to conduct the first orbital study of the innermost planet, Mercury. For information regarding the use of images, see the MESSENGER image use policy.
Image Credit:
NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

Image Addition Date:
2012-04-23

Thu Nov 22, 2012 8:29 pm » by **Toxic32**

More like a flat top standing ridge with along shadow. Still I may be wrong. So what are the other square looking holes lower down to the right? In fact if you look close you see lots of square looking shadows?

Fri Nov 23, 2012 12:03 am » by **Ufosarus**

looks like its just been added to the photo...fake to me :hmmm:

Fri Nov 23, 2012 12:05 am » by **Slith**

Ufosarus wrote:looks like its just been added to the photo...fake to me

agreed

Fri Nov 23, 2012 12:06 am » by **Opalserpent**

We want to believe!

Too bad there isn't two separate images like the face of mars to give it more validity.

Fri Nov 23, 2012 12:15 am » by **Slith**

Opalserpent wrote:We want to believe!

Too bad there isn't two separate images like the face of mars to give it more validity.

Good point

Fri Nov 23, 2012 1:26 am » by **mediasorcery**

looks like a fukin beer can

Fri Nov 23, 2012 1:35 am » by **onealjw**

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA15614

If someone added it to the photo, it was JPL.

Fri Nov 23, 2012 1:41 am » by **Doogle**

onealjw wrote:http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA15614

If someone added it to the photo, it was JPL.

He shoots......he scores.
Good one alj; And hello!
Still, it could be a fake due to the fact that it's NAZA.
Or a rock.
Or a monolith.

Fri Nov 23, 2012 1:50 am » by **Slith**

Doogle wrote:
He shoots......he scores.

et c'est le but