Subhanallah

why do space pictures need false colors?

I like mars. better than Riverside.

Words are useless when faced with the beauty of this incredible world.

Incredible images from the MRO, and the HiRISE pointing on the huge amount of science that can be obtain from these robotic mission... but also showing us what are we missing from not going there and seeing this beauty with our own eyes.

Amazing Pictures !

Amazing.

#3 - "He who controls the Spice, controls the universe!"

So gorgeous!

Going there would be easy, coming home is the problem! I volunteer myself for a one-way trip! I am sure there are plenty of explorers out there more qualified than myself who would be up for it.

Wow, wow.
Absolutely mindblowing to see such detailed pictures, of a completely untouched world. Thank you so much. Once again, amazing.
Like previously said, words cannot describe this.

Loved this set of pictures. I had a really hard time keeping my perspective straight on #8. Took me quite a bit of concentration to see a crater instead of something like a mesa.

I believe false colors are needed because the color and quality of sunlight isn't the same as it is on Earth. This is an effort to make the photos comprehensible to people accustomed to Earth-quality sunlight. Like setting the white-balance, slightly arbitrary but not completely.

Wonderful...and somewhat creepy!

unreal...

It looks like Yann Arthus-Bertrand pictures...

Amazing. It's so hard to get a sense of scale in most of these images. Many of them look like something you would see through a microscope.

Spectacular! Mars is a very beautiful place indeed!

Thanks once again, the Big Picture photos make my Monday/Wednesday and Friday, something to always look forward to! Thank you!!!!!

Just loved the pictures, I could take any of these pictures on my wall (1, 3, 10, 11, 22, 29 are the best ones). They are truly amazing pictures.

Congrats to Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. for the great pictures from HiRISE. Congrats to JPL for MRO!

mind blowing

Awesome pictures, but I would love to know the scale on all of them. Some almost look like closeups, but I have a feeling they were taken from a high altitude, and are much much larger than they appear to be in these pictures.

Every single picture looks unreal.

I wonder if frozen carbon dioxide can be shaped into a snowball?

I'm with ScottyT (#7), sign me up for the one-way and let's go.

Dune... Arakis...

Aaaaaagh... I love Mars. Thanks for this. Dust devil pics are great choices; most people don't realize how dynamic of a planet Mars is!

We need to go to Mars! I don't want to miss humans going there in my lifetime.

Re: 2 and 10 --
False color is rarely used for aesthetic reasons when working in space. Instead, it brings out features that are hard to see (such increased contrast so that subtle differences in color can be seen more easily) or even impossible without cameras (such as infrared, ultraviolet, x-ray, radio, and other forms of light -- sometimes each form is assigned a color and then superimposed). False color brings this information into a form that can be processed easily by the human eye and brain. Besides, true color can sometimes be boring to look at.

I couldn't stop thinking about Ray Bradbury, and old ghosts floating over the peaks and ridges. I think I'm gonna go re-read the Martian Chronicles.

I say we go...

Beautiful pictures as always!
This keeps my Mon/Wed/Fri afternoon hour busy :)

@ScottyT, comment #7 and @DeanM, comment #23

I'll take that one-way trip too! I'd miss my family, no doubt, but it would be the chance of a century one would be a fool to pass up!

Modern art at its best.

All I can say is: WOW

"Space. The final frontier..."
well said...

#'s 4, 11, 22, etc. Am I looking through a microscope or a telescope? Crazy cool pics.

Wild pics for sure!
Be awesome to see it there...except, having to look at it all from inside a space helmet after 7 months trapped in a subway car to get there, makes it not quite worth the price of admission, to me....especially the thought of the 7 month long trip back...

Nah, I'll stay here where it's warm and I can actually behold things like the Grand Canyon with my own eyes...and just enjoy the stunning photos brought back by robots that aren't bothered by environments that would turn a human into jerky...

If you have a fascination with Mars, and haven't yet read Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series yet, you are in for a huge treat. Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars.

REALLY AMAZING, MYSTERIOUS AND INSPIRING!

Since I live in The Knobs of central Kentucky, it's nice to see that Mars has knobs too. Although with fewer trees. rb

Very interesting. But, there only one thing that I want to see in HD photos, is the martian face.

I don't think those are false colors.. pict #3: "The sands appear blueish because of their basaltic composition" .. :)

Amazing, I really had no Idea Mars was so beautiful and so so different to how I Imagined!

Show us the good stuff, like the ruins...from our past heritage there.

When are we clarifying the REAL COLORS IN MARS ?

Good work, even for the northern mexico college of nogales.

Very nice. So nice, indeed, to see something which mankind hasn't screwed up! Luckily beyond our reach...

Nice to know my mural of Mars in 1982 was not too far off in my imagination. Except I added a Mirage o'trees. You can hope.

Out of this world!

Simply stunning pictures.

The excitement of the discovered and the anticipation of the adventure to come ... that's what I'm experiencing now.

I don't understand. There doesn't seem to be anything there. Why not focus our time and money on Titan or a similar body with some possibilities for life?

Beautiful pics btw.

#49: because it's so much easier and cheaper and quicker to send things to Mars...

50 comments and no-one has attributed this to their God yet?

Beautiful pics, but kind of depressing that it's nearly 2010 and man has yet to go further than our moon.

Whoa.
That's amazing, not at all how I imagined the surface of the planet.

On a side note, why false color?

Instantly altered my perception in a very profound way...

#49: Just because a planet doesn't have stellar chances for life doesn't mean there aren't other things to learn there. Mars is of huge geologic interest, and can also teach us a lot about atmospheric interactions. These things are valuable, too. The more information we can gather about planetary evolution, the better we can understand our own planet, and how and why life first emerged here.

Shrinking dunes on Mars? Must be (Mars) Global Warming.

This is really amazing, i've never seen pictures from another planet like this.

Wow absolutely fantastic work. Like someone said real modern artists and real modern art here haha!

This is the one of the few posts at BigPIcture that have actually make me gasp out loud/start laughing in wonder, and Im not easily moved. Everything on Earth seems so petty when you see something like this!

Sign me up, Im ready to build another world on mars!

Two words...thank you!

Beam me down Scotty!
Phasers on stun.

These photos are amazing. I just wish Carl Sagan could see them.

In the future, please state the field of view of the individual image, or publish a distance scale along the side of the photos.

Wow.

When my dad was a kid, all the little kids wanted to be astronauts. For Pete's sake, we landed on the moon with slide rules! When he was in high school and college, these photos would have been as drool-worthy as a playboy. He truly believed there was going to be a major space station and he might end up living on it. Whatever happened? Now technology has advanced to the point we can take these way neato photos and we're like, meh. I dunno -- seeing these pics makes me wistful for the emotional energy, the wild-crazy hopes and dreams shared by whole countries of people. My dad got to dream of being Buck Rogers. Now kids get to dream of being cop-hating, drug-laden rap stars *sigh*

Hello new desktop images. I can't decide which to use so I think I'll let Win 7 rotate them. Amazing place.

I don't know any sci-fi movie that showed such beauty. Gorgeous and so different.

#51: You're a little off. See comment *#1*.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subhan%27Allah

its so amazing,WOW.stunning pictures

Advertising for Google ?

my god you are very great and beutifull and kind

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God !!!

Wonderful images giving us wonderful new knowledge, but I'm personally waiting for over head photos of the inhabitants of another earth-like planet. Maybe then we'll forever suppress ideas such as "Subhanallah".

These are seriously the coolest pics I have ever seen. This is a whole different world. It simply is amazing that things can be captured so clearly.

Fantastic keep up all your good work , SFJ Cody.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand should go to Mars and make pictures..

SubhanAllah,
Absolutely mindblowing to see such detailed pictures
Completely untouched world. Thanks for sharing with us

Awsome! Thanks for sharing.
Regards fom Ecuador, SouthAmerica.

looks good for pictures..... but would not want to live there .... Thank god for putting me on Earth

Totally amazing! Wondrous beauty!
Is it me, or do several pictures mimic the beauty in the depth of the seas?

great to learn about google earth 5

subhanallah

I want to live there. It's gorgeous and somewhat creepy.

The "Dust Devils" are the Martians... Genies

The picture quality is amazing, and I definitely encourage space programmes, but to be honest, I think Mars looks pretty disgusting.

#51: You missed the muslim from #1. And yes, I do attribute this to "my" God, the creator of the universe, Jesus Christ specifically. Literally *glorious* images.

Re. 74: argh, see pic 7 and 9!

Btw, love the "liveness" of the images captured in #6 and 21 - the avalanche and dust devil in action!

Great collection!!!!

I do not wish to go, but I could name a few politicians I would recommend.

Breathtaking! So spectacular in so many different ways!

If only we could focus humanity's efforts on exploring such a place, rather than finding new and better ways of killing ourselves.

Imagine the 'Defense' budget (thirty times bigger than NASA's!) applied to Mars exploration. Oh, the things we would find.

where is "the face" ?

Another reminder that art and science do not have to be independent, separate pursuits... daVinci would approve. Mars is a fantastic place, the photos are amazing!

Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos of Mars,
Imagine living on Mars and being able to look at Mother Earth and all it's beauty

Sure it's beautiful!! so let's spread this cancer that we call Humanity to Mars and waste it like we perfectly do with Earth...

A waste of money when people are dying of starvation here on earth.

Beautiful...but a little depressing; there are hundreds of billions of galaxies, each galaxy with hundreds of billions of stars, and each star likely with multiple planets, meaning that we've got, say, 2x10^24 planets to explore...but silly political and religious bickering leaves us still decades away from making the massive leap to even the very closest, most hospitable one we know.

Just finished re-reading Red Mars and Green Mars. I can almost see Coyote driving his boulder car down there. Shigata ga nai.

#92 It's not waste. Something good can come from this. Some day we might even have to leave earth for some reason.

True waste is USA's war and military spendings. That money could be used on solving a lot of problems in this planet right now. Allthough I'm not sure if it should be used on starving africans. They just can't get their shit together no matter what you give them or what you do. Hopeless.

These all photos are really amazing.

Awesome bics but with a scale for each pic it would be a lot better

I echo an earlier comment.... I'm so sorry Carl Sagan isn't alive to see these photos... he was obsessed with Mars. I took his class while at Cornell. The license plates on his car read Demos and Phobos... the Martian moons. Great photos....there had to be water there... it looks like part of the western US from a plane.

Humans need to look and not touch. Going there will just screw it all up like we do everything we come in contact with.

Pastor Keith, aim your complaints against flooded military spending budgets rather than the trickle that is NASA.

Scotty (Comment # 7) volunteered himself for a one-way trip. I second that declaration. I would go at a drop of a hat! Amazing pictures! Once we do land there, there will be life on Mars: us!

Wish my telescopes could get that close. Almost like looking at a long lost home. The diversity! Had to once be inhabited. After were gone our earth will look diverse too, but very different due to it's closer orbit with the sun.
Surprised someone hasn't made that stupid claim " It was done in a studio"
Wonder if they still think we never went to the moon? Idiots!
Thanks for the images, and education. Lightspeedsquared
Clear and Dark Please

i really liked the pictures because there were so many of them but why don't they show the alien buildings?

Uskomattoman upeita kuvia. Ja ajatelkaa mistä: Marsista:
Or
Surprising pictures. And think from where: Mars!

These are some cool pics, I've never seen or imagined Mars like this before. But Earth's beauty FAR surpasses Mars. By a long shot. I don't know why anyone would ever want to go to Mars.

#21: We have wormsign!!!!

Spectacular and Mind blowing pictures. To me this proves there is definitely a higher power (GOD) that created this entire universe. All praise to God for such wonderful creations!

ha, you beat me to it Carbon (#94). i just finished reading the MarsTrilogy too. i feel like ive been there after reading it, Shigata ga nai indeed!

Incredible that we've come so far that we're able to get pics like this of another world. Sad, too, that people still feel compelled to attribute it all to god, as if mankind isn't smart enough or capable enough on our own. Isn't it time to just accept that god didn't make man, but man instead made god? We created the idea of god from our primitive fear of death. Now we can high-res the surface of another world. The time has come to accept that science, not ancient beliefs in deities, is where our future lies.

Sublime, in the truest sense of the word. This is the nearest we can come to understanding the sense of newness and wonder which was experienced by Europeans and American explorers as they ventured into the parts of our world which were unknown to them prior to the twentieth century.

I've waited all my life to see and hear other humans reporting back from Mars, but, at 44 years old, I now have to accept that it will not happen in my time.

Yeah... come-on lets go and screw up the Mars.

WAU, those photos are so beautiful!! So, I haven´t need to travel to Mars anymore.... = )

The first photo looked like a tattoo!

Guaou! It is so nice that the senses get very clear and quiet.

dear #62,

that sounds nice and everything but you're completely romanticising what was essentially a government military program and an important episode in the incredibly short-sighted sabre-raddling of the Cold War, in which both superpowers threw money they didn't have and had no business spending even if they did on grandiose demonstrations of might & ability, which meant not only the tit-for-tat of dancing in space, but real wars with real people dying real deaths (ie afghanistan circa 70s)--from the same budgets, the same spreadsheets. getting "regular" citizens to fall in love with the space race was just part of sealing the deal in the culture at large.

this isn't to say that i am not fascinated by space as a concept or haven't read my bradbury and my asimov and drooled at the mere thought of "being Buck Rodgers," but you have to address the fact that you are completely decontextualising how & why this knowledge is being produced. it is not now and never was innocent, and like all science, the military and thus the government are the first to demand the research and certainly the first to reap its benefits, ever planning future violent escapades to prove their necessity and little else.

what i'm trying to say is simple: robots aren't just fun classroom projects, NASA, and Mythbusters; they are also remote-controlled drones killing people on US orders in other countries. and this is simply to inject a dose of reality to the utopic humanism of the science enthusiast. rather: not only am i saying this to make the obvious point that science does "good AND bad things," but that--wait for it--it may just in fact be doing harm _first & foremost_ and subsequently covering its ass in discourse with the supposed "good" that it does for us all (implicitly meaning good FOR specific kinds of people who can reap the benefits of being paid attention to by the state as a class/race).

i mean, this is really not that different from when "whole countries" get wrapped up in the "fun" of a good old "foreign war". which is something absolutely nobody would have doubted enjoying for the pure sake of enjoying 50+ years ago, by the way; only now can we pretend that our enjoyment has nothing to do with buying into nationalistic rhetoric/ideologies and that our media voyeurism is completely justified by some complex "just war" logic.

so in conclusion, my dear madams & sirs, the space race always already meant the "us vs them" nationalism and practically racism of the Cold War, just part of the game of selling citizens on the absolutely insane projects our governments were invested in at the time against a "big bad enemy".

PS: your final comment--"kids just want to be cop-hating drug-laden rap singers"--is so ignorant and so utterly racist that i cannot believe any self-respecting person would throw that into the discussion as if it had any meaning that wasn't simply provocative and baiting. think about what you are saying honestly and you'll realise why that has nothing, NOTHING to do with the way "kids are today" and that what you're saying is a cop-out to buttress and already-weak argument. why might certain people dislike cops, #62? i wonder. maybe you have lived a comfortable enough life free from police harassment & profiling that such a thing seems utterly absurd to you. i hope one day you can realise that what you're saying is incredibly privileged and does fundamentally reveal your mentality/outlook on these things in general, and why you made a similarly weak-kneed argument in regards to the space program.

cheers!

What an amazing photos!!! I'm stunned!!!

To #39 (Marcel):

You can see HiRISE's picture of the "mars face" on wikipedia. Though it doesn't look much like a face when the picture is taken in high definition.

It's just like Tabias in the tub!

These are some of the most amazing pictures I've ever seen. Thank you so much!

To find out the resolution and scale for each photo, click on the "more" link provided with each description.

#115 Dear parkbench, thank you for your intelligent and calm comment. with which I totally agree.May I sit next to you..?

I lived there.... once.

Pretty soon Google will have a new program called Google Mars. Beautiful pictures. I can't believe the clarity of them all. Well done.

Does our cells and inner structures look like this too?

Amazing!
Dust Devil? Hmmm...

What? no little Martians? aww nuts, I'm not going then.
I worked in the sub contractor industry way back when
Friendship, Freedom, and Gemini were first launched
to go to the Moom, etc.

I can see John Carter rescuing Dejah Thoris form here!

Beautiful!!

Percival Lowell thought that there were canal-like features on Mars, some of the marks left by the Dust Devils look similar to the gigantic marks, (He called them canals), that Lowell may have seen way back then. Is it possible that there may be some type of much larger but very rare atmospheric phenomenon like tornado's or even Hurricanes? If so, then the markings that Lowell saw might have been made by unknown ,(Mars), weather conditions that occur on a large geologic time scale. The similarity between his drawings and those imaged by our probes is slight, but still, we do not know the atmospheric conditions well enough yet to say.

Such wonderful photograph of the distant world Mars, just hope we go there in my life time.

Picture 13.The barchan looks like it has plants growing on it...

How do we see the close-up pictures as seen in this photo-essay? The jpgs on arizona.edu show the one small area shown here enlarged, but there is no way to zoom in to explore other areas on them. For example, the avalanche shown here and on the main avalanches page is 2-3 times as large as it is on the non map projected jpgs. There is another avalanche in that overall jpg I would love to see just as closely. In fact, there are other features in the all photo's I would love to look as just as closely. Anyone know where to find those pics?

Fantastic!

OMG...stunning pictures of Mars

What a rush! These are really fantastic pictures!!

Its so alien. So unlike our Earth. Makes you realize how wonderfully beautiful and precious our Earth is to us. WOW!

Parkbench, I suggest you spend some time talking to Poles, Hungarians, East Germans, Russian Jews, etc. who are now living in the US, but grew up under Soviet domination. Your "both sides are equally bad" attitude, in the face of all that we know about that truly evil, totalitarian empire, is stunningly naive.

If you had written what you did while living in Russia 50 years ago, you would be in a Soviet jail now.

Fantastic! Extremely interesting both scientifically and visually...
Fantastista! Äärimmäisen mielenkiintoista sekä tieteellisesti että visuaalisesti.

Tapani Koivula
architect, UFO researcher
Inkoo, Finland

Mars is handsome.

Fantastic!
Bjorn Borg
Helsinki
Finland

I was born on time. I am happy to see such photographs in my computer. Fantastical possibility. Every photograph looks as a piece of art. I am thankful Everybody, Who did it feasible.

Amazing pictures!

But I miss Carl Sagan's voice to comment them, a voice not from this world!

I don't understand the pictures up there (abstract?) but they're nice! :D

impressing!

So glad I have lived long enough to see these photos. An entire other world. Old sci-fi fan that I am, it takes nothing away from the wonderful books I read as a kid. This is amazing stuff.

#92, Pastor Keith
The budget for sending probes to Mars would feed the world's hungry for about one meal. That is all. It won't do a thing for the hungry. NASA has a very small budget when you think about it. Look at defense spending. Ridiculous.

Anyway, great pictures. I'm always going to the HiRISE website to see the pictures. Also, false colours are used to help show the composition of the rocks. Otherwise, it would all appear rust red.

Simply breathtaking!!!

There is life there -- or there is not.

Either possibility is astounding.

........and we ain't seen nothin yet.............amazing

The photos are amazing but few seem to realize that God is the Creator. People have become so vain to think we have the power to destroy Earth. They spend so much time and money trying to disprove Him. Eyes that don't see, ears that don't hear. Mars could blow up tomorrow and people would say,"We did it! Not sure how, but we did it!" Have to break it to you-God is in control and you better get with the program.

This may sound like a really obvious statement, but it's startling how other-worldly Mars really is. It's so cool how weird this landscape looks, like something completely alien to anything on Earth.

"Mars could blow up tomorrow and people would say,"We did it! Not sure how, but we did it!" "

With all due respect, that's the most idiotic thing I've heard since Dan Quayle was Vice President.

Amazing pictures. I greatly appreciate the detail!!

@123 Google Mars already exists as a part of Google Earth

@150 We're not trying to disprove god, we're waiting for some verifiable proof that he/she/it/fsm exists. Science already proves everything shown in these images.

Wish we spent our efforts and funding on technology to explore instead of creating new ways to kill each other. Would love to send someone there.

Impressive and extremely beautiful....thanks for sharing.

Rc

#83: what make you think you have any more reasons to be right that the #1 muslim commenter? None of you have any evidence for the existence of any god. Occam's razzor, and common sense, both point out that the existence of a god is very unlikely (a malevolent god being slightly more likely judging from what's going on on this very planet).

So rather than thanking a pink unicorn, thank all the men who made all these fabulous images possible.

Amazing! If this beautiful place isn't proof of the existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, I really don't know what will convince you.

#115 The fault lies not in our knowledge but in ourselves for not choosing wisely what to use it for.

#62--I am with you. The excitement and "innocence" is what caused young men (and women) to yearn for the stars. Doesn't matter if it was government propaganda. There are always some who see beyond that and want to go where others have not. As for #115 and the "racist" comment: I live where there are mostly "white" folks. Same thing can be said for the youngsters here--doesn't matter what race you are. The only hope I see each year are the college interns who come to our program to learn about rocket propulsion. To see and hear their dreams about reaching for other planets in our solar system gives me hope for the human race. Some of us have not forgotten what it's like to dream for things beyond our horizon--just because the money comes from the government doesn't mean it can't be used for good.

Thanks so much. I can't believe I am looking at Mars without having to go there :P - so beautiful- I love the colors, too. Great Job!

To "parkbench" (#115) - - - Hmmm ... "cheers" ... What a curious word you choose to close your joyless and cynical diatribe. You accuse Meg C (#62) of "romanticising" because she is "... wistful for the emotional energy, the wild-crazy hopes and dreams shared by whole countries of people" during the early years of space exploration. While I would certainly not disagree that the space programs of the superpowers during those years had definite military interests beyond pure science, I would also say that if you're looking for complete altruism in any govenment program, then I'm wondering who is really naive here. I'm glad that I'm old enough to remember President Kennedy's challenge to our country and Neil Armstrong's words as they came to us in crackled radio transmission from the surface of the moon some forty years ago now. Like Meg C., I also miss the absolute wonder associated with that time. Furthermore, I think our country would be far better off today if we fiscally recommitted our limited resources to space exploration as a priority, rather than long and protracted wars of questionable purpose and gain. Does this make me a romantic in your eyes? If so, I honestly couldn't care less. Some people choose to elevate their sites on beneficial scientific exploration which they believe to be possible, and strive in good faith toward achieving it despite the shortcomings of human nature. Some people choose to lower their focus of attention (and that of others) on the frailties, failures and hypocrisy, which are always inherent in any human endeavor. I'm wondering, "parkbench," what attitudes and accompanying world view do you think will most likely get us to Mars and beyond?

Fantastic.
These pictures are true art as God is the most wonderful painter and thanks to technology to bring these pictures to our lives.
Thank You.
Michah Himmelman
Israel

I've made 3 detailed relief models of Mars, one of which is in the Chicago Planetarium, and a friend who sent me this wants me to make more models of these images. Whether or not I do I think these images are just fantastic in the true sense of the word! I love space exploration, consider myself lucky to be alive now because of it, and privileged to have made a contribution with my models, however small.
And maybe, just maybe, such images will help to inspire mankind to explore what's out there and become more aware of the concept of 'Fragile Earth' and its beauty as a result. And grow out of the belief that the future has got to be one of political, national and commercial rivalry, and soap operas for the masses. the list goes on. As for a waste of money, apart from military budgets, we could have had a colony on Mars by now with the billions that have been given to the banks!

#115 Cool story bro

You folks here at boston.com did a great job of rotating and reframing these pics to focus on the beauty in them. I went and looked at the originals posted by scientists, and uh... yeah. Scientists are great but they don't often have an eye for photographic composition.

I prefer your lower-rez crops to their originals. Thanks!

Hey Parkbench (#115), the Internet was created by the military too, so if you want to practice what you preach, turn off your computer and write us a letter instead.

Cheers!

More proof that the Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe! All praise the glory of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, yarrrghhh!

These are mysterious and beautiful! Any way to get some hi res stills for printing? I'd love to hang a few of these in my home!

By happy coincidence, I just happen to be listening to 'Mars, Bringer of War', Gustav Holst, The Planets, Op. 32. A fitting backdrop to such amazing a dramatic photes

IF one could prove there was no god(s), would these images be any less beautiful? I think not. Appreciate these for their own beauty, not as proof that your particular jewish-christian-islamic-hindu-etc god exists, who will put a beat-down on those who believe in the wrong one!

Spectacular! Thank you, Universe!

I think about how much each of these pictures cost to make, of the doubtful necessity of this exploration, and wonder, "why do I thrill to these pictures. Why do I thrill to the thought of the exploration of the planets? Why am I not outraged at the enormous cost involved while our great grandchildren will still being paying off the national debt we incur. I must be a little mad.
Doug, in Utah.

All I can say is... wow...

The beauty and texture, color and shades make me want to visit the red planet. It's sad to think that NASA has the designs and will to go, but lacks the money. A course to Mars would allign the world, and as fleeting as that may be, would be worth it to bask in the bright human spirit we all know exists.

Oh, well, they made Copernicus withdraw his beliefs and so they did with Galileo, but the truth came out eventually. The universe gave us life, and people who believe a god made all this must be ignorant and blind.

Thank you for the photos. I think it is a wonderful thing that we can explore the universe, this is the final frontier for us. Instead of being mad about money being spent on science developments people should focus on other useless expenses that your governemnt is keeping itself busy with, or you spending your own money in stupid ways because the government tells you to.

Wow! Unbelievable pictures! I can't quite wrap my mind around our ability to see so much of objects so far away. Viewing Mars made me ponder what the faces of Earth would look like if it were devoid of all life. Imagine the variety of the Grand Canyon, the Sahara Desert, the Alps, our vast ocean bottoms sans water...... Not to take away from the amazing landscapes of Mars, just pondering.

A thank you to those who helped us all get a better glimpse at the universe around us, both near and far.

Wonderful images, but I am disappointed not to have scale bars. Some of these images would be significantly more informative if their scale/size was available.

It invokes a feeling of being utterly alone. Truely a world of untouched beauty and mystery.

Imagine if we lived on Mars and were viewing high-res photos of Earth's stunning topology and geography -- oceans, coastlines, rivers, valleys, forests, jungles, glaciers, weather, etc. Talk about beautiful! It's a shame we don't fully appreciate the most beautiful, diverse, and interesting planet in the known universe, right under our own feet. These photos are stunning and the science is amazing to be sure. I only wish more people would realize the unique wonder that is the Earth. Imagine if they'd photographed a tree on Mars!

I drove around one of those barchans over by Muleshoe on the way to Kermit just yesterday. They are really pretty. Thanks for fabulous photos.

To 154: There's nothing to prove. The firmaments declare His works! With the technology that now exists, it's easier than ever before to SEE the truth in that ancient passage.

Too bad some people reject God. Interesting, I was just reading about the "Unpardonable Sin" - Thank you lord for making the universe so complicated yet simple and ordered at the same time.

Just like monkeys can't build a fire but, they can get burned.

Well done NASA! I agree that these are great steps in our space science. I think that each body of our solar system holds some value in our exploration of the universe but, I do share the same feelings that we should be taking care of our planet first.

The laws of averages indicate there should be similar planets like Earth out there but, it doesn't mean they possess intelligent life... does it?

The pictures are amazing, the money it's worth, because it let us know how little we are, and beautifull its the hole universe. Cheers for the tecnology and all the people involve in the proyect.

I wish we could see other pictures soon.

I notice a comment from a pastor of all people that posted "A waste of money when people are dying of starvation here on earth" I'm sure like most NASA projects this gave thousands of family's jobs with health and retirement benefits. I should also mention that with several company's being involved in a project like this I'm sure some or even many of them contribute to programs that try and prevent starvation in third world country's. I think it's very sad that a man of religion would even think like this. These pictures are so very important on so many levels I can't begin to say how wrong this poor lost soul is. I hope Pastor Keith can open his eyes not only to the beauty of these amazing pictures but to the beauty of this great country we live in. God Bless America J

Einfach nur phantastisch!!!

Abosultely Magnificent! Wow.

Fantastic images, and further proof that God doesn't exist.

Why are so many people saying stuff like "yeah, let's go screw up Mars too". You act like the footprint of human presence is going to offend someone else. Who is that exactly?

@182: If the firmaments declare his works then why are Creationists so wrong?

If the universe is 6000 years old, then we could only see things that are 6000 light years away (give or take - redshift and all.)

The universe itself declares that your beliefs are incorrect.

Science gives the answers, not religion. Beautiful pictures showing how far human efforts can reach.

Congratulations!

Dear Pastor Keith,
Wars prevent us from feeding everyone. Space exploration gives us hope. You should be able to appreciate that.

Beautiful ! But why does some clown always have to bring Gods into it.
Grow up, face life standing up, not on your knees, praying to some desert psychopath.

These pictures are really astounding - it's amazing what modern astronomy can accomplish. The comments are almost as interesting to me as the pictures, however: it seems religious individuals of all stripes are quick to denounce any association between humanity's achievements and the sublime. Whenever the sublime appears, it seems that it is God who must be credited. Sadly, these comments correspond to a pattern which is demonstrable throughout human history: namely, one in which religious institutions are filled with fear and indignation at the wonders and advances of science. And rightly so - that science has been eroding their superstition for a long time. Thankfully, there are no more Inquisitions and anathemas with which these institutions can assert their power. Even so, those who see images such as these and must immediately turn to belittling humanity's accomplishments only serve to illustrate a long-standing point: namely, that they are afraid. They fear what humanity and science have the power to accomplish when they work together and cast aside superstition.

If God did indeed grant humanity free will, it is unreasonable to suggest that he did not intend us to use this free will to learn and understand more about our environment. It is ironic that the medieval Scholastics were seemingly far more progressive in their thinking than the fundamentalists of the 21st century. They believed that by studying the observable universe, they could learn more about God's mind and his purpose; to them, the truth of creation was discernible in the world around them. I wish that those who hold religious beliefs could subscribe to views more like these, appreciating the sublime beauty of our universe and, through it, experiencing a sense of spiritual affirmation rather than a desire to spread fear, hate, and condemnation. The world is never as simple as we like to think it is - if only people could be more open-minded.

At any rate, these images are marvellous. There is truly nothing more wondrous than this vast universe.

Peace.

where are the trees?

Amazing images!!!

ditto #194 you said what I was thinking but couldn't express

Open you eyes

I am astonished by these images, simply astounded. For once in a very long time I am pleased by the use of my tax money.

I'm also amused by "parkbench" and his accusations of trolling, when his own post seems carefully calculated to give offense and generate enraged responses, but he's not the main attraction here.

Gorgeous !
And thanks # 194, well put !

Re: what mike said November 7, 09 11:19 PM "Now we can high-res the surface of another world. The time has come to accept that science, not ancient beliefs in deities, is where our future lies"
I say.... we are so smart we are full of shit. we can't even cure a cold. we go to mars while people on earth starve to death for lack of food. we kill each other in war after war. we abort our children by the millions. yes we are so smart. we are so smart that soon we will be in world war 3 and when mike is in the firing line he will be praying to God to save his sorry ass. God have mercy on us all.

Beautiful Pictures.
WE have marked another planet with our exploration.
The people who studied and experimented and built, launched, and received the signals from this great distance deserve thanks.
Cameras and datalinks have brought us beauty here. I think that will make up for the unhappiness brought by other cameras and datalinks (your own viewpoint Here).
I wish I could do the math to understand how the thin atmosphere of Mars can support "Dust Devels".

Allahu Akbar

These are absolutely incredible pictures!

People's urges to smear their gods over everything is offensive. The discussion here was spoiled as soon as someone introduced religion. The pictures are quite simply the product of a thinking method altogether void of the supernatural; science, humanity's most successful endeavor. If you want to express your appreciation, then thank science and the scientists, and leave out the gods. Religion (and gods) had about as much to do with these pictures (and landscape) as astrology is responsible for the sunrise. Religion spoils everything.

I want to go to Mars to experience the pictures for myself and get away from the kinds of people posting here. Attribute what you see to God or the laws of physics, just don't start getting distracted and froth at the mouth when baited with an opposing view. I mean damn I can ponder at the geological forces and chemical compositions that produced such surfaces and at the same time wonder which one of the 6 days He decided to magic that planet up. Doublethink baby, might just save you that coronary.

Does anyone know how I could obtain/buy one of these photos in a higher resolution. I would like to look at it on the wall!

Amazing Pictures of Mars! Good Job Big Picture!

recalling TOTAL RECALL movie of Arnold Schwarzenneger....I can't find him in the pictures above! "just kidding"

Keep up the Good Work BP!!!

Hwan Ma-tiu
23M1454XXA
Jubail Saudi Arabia

amazing pictures. and omg, retarded comments.

Wonderful pictures ! It would be more informative if the scale (km, 100km bar ? ) was systematically included.

I love the way that some of them look like cells under a microscope [22] or the shadows of leafless trees [35].
The universe is just a f*ck-off big mandelbrot set.
P'haps...

WHERE in ANY bible did god create mars?
What is wrong with you people?

WOW fantastic NASA, now everyone can continue to get sick, grow old and die, happy that they have looked at some pictures of rocks, dirt and ice on another planet. Definitely worth a few billion $ and countless man hours of work.

#209...
Try the first page...of any Bible.
Strange...

@ 194, that's absolutely right! God gave us free will and that is what has drive us to accomplish all that we have so far!! All tech innovation that help us deal with the problems some are mentioning up above!

I like to see a man of science that also understands where it all came from!

Bravo

#194 "it seems religious individuals of all stripes are quick to denounce any association between humanity's achievements and the sublime. "

I'm not sure what that blanket statement means. Bottom line is that God created all we see, in the way He stated that He created it. He alone gets the credit; man can observe and be thankful for the immense beauty, but man's ideas of how God created are irrelevant, God already states how and when and why. And man's ideas that it all blew together by chance is absurd. These images show His power even more than we have seen in the past, and we have no excuse to think otherwise. Romans chapter 1 is quite clear about that. Be careful not to worship the creation over the Creator.

115 and 199 and all the other so-called peaceniks who decry spending "in space" rather than "solving the worlds problems", and claim it is all militarism. You people are really rather sick.

NASA spending is about 1% of the national budget. We already spend a majority of the federal budget on "solving the worlds problems" and they aren't getting solved with money. The more free medicine you make available, the more people will use it, increasing demand and therefore cost, simple economics. People don't survive on handouts, and as for the Pastor, you should know you can't fill people spiritually on handouts either. Go teach a man to fish, Father.

NASA programs inspire people to dream of a future they want to be in, and in which they want to be educated to live in productively. Therefore NASA programs instill hope for tomorrow and show us the universe in a way that helps to remind us what a beautiful place, and miraculous creation it all is. These photos are a great example of that.

Parkbench, your very nickname belies that you are a self-designated spectator and critic, you lack the motivation to do, which is why you fake up false theories about the motivations of those who actually do accomplish things. You are a very sad sack.

These photos help illustrate to the public that Mars is, while its own creation, still a very Earth-like place. It holds the resources we can survive on as explorers, and which we can terraform it into a second Earth to become a new cradle of humanity, and by doing so, freeing us of existential threats from militarism while also helping to teach that we are all one people, one race. Against the backdrop of the immensity and beauty of the universe, our own squabbles and problems are miniscule.

Hey, #115: you're staying home.

Quote : "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."
Galileo Galilei
There will be a day when humans are thankful we learned how to leave when resources run out. No different then humans walking to better opportunity in our beginning. Thank You Jesus, Thank You Lord
Where should we draw the line? We need to survive, so we need to explore. I hope humans survive long enough to find options. I hope my great great grandchildren and beyond have hope for their children. Imagine where we'd be if we didn't have God given abilities. Be careful what you say about Gods creations including humans. Also glad for the freedom to express our selves. Without exploration, and struggle this forum wouldn't be here either. Jerry Rowe/Port Townsend, WA. U.S.A.
God Speed to you confused hypocrites too!

To all of those who are saying that these images are proof of a god's existence. Your religious beliefs are completely independent of these images. This is science not religion, everything in these images can be explained through scientific reasoning. You have no proof of any god existing. Therefore it's irrelevant to say so in a scientific subject.

Beautiful desolation in these images, I've already seen several of them. Amazing how it's so obvious through these images that water once flowed on the surface. Mars approaches opposition on January 29th.

Fantastic God created landscape "Pollution Free Environment".

According to scientific research and all the astronauts who have seen earth from space, they have said that we live in a tiny little marble like place, compared to the universe. Our little eartly capsule with all its beauty does not compare with the vastness and complexity of the universe. So you all, just think about how limited is our understandid of what lies beyoun the desolated and strage beauty of the planet Mars! If we could just take a leap from here to there, we could see our tiny little capsul, and maybe we coudl then understand that our brains are inside a nanotube, when we denied the esistance of a greater power called God.,

Religion is man made Andromeda. So is the the human explanation. (Science) I hate the baggage of religion that has kept science slow, and rights oppressed for us all. Now my faith in God is private, and if eternity exist there is a heaven, and anthing else you can imagine. But most of all, if science wasn't stopped in ancient times, maybe we would have learned the mistake of burning carbon base fuel which have brought us to an irreversable position of damage and extinction. Science was learned long ago but oppressed and lossed. We had to relearn. Hope its not too late.
Lightspeedsquared
Cant wait to put Mars through my lightbucket again! These beautiful pics leave little for the imagination but my GEM Time Machines are fun too.
Clear and Dark

Wow! I didn't know Mars looked like that! That's pretty awesome. My next summer vacation is the 3rd picture from the top! :)

Barren wasteland devoid of life or any sign of life. We need to protect and know what we have here on this planet called Earth. Probably the only place we will ever know that life exists is here on our mother Earth. We need not argue about who believes what or how, we need to find solutions to conservation of our home planet. We can do so, because we can think and we can plan.

These are beautiful. When you see these, it forces you to re-evaluate the planets as we know them. It will be interesting to see what Venus looks like. Also, religion and science aside, logic makes it clear that something had to exist over and above regular science, otherwise nothing would exist in the first place. The universe is an enormous place; there is room for the scientists and religious folks. For the scientists, if you have a good explanation for creation that I can't question, try me. For the religious, don't get so wrapped up in trying to prove your deity's existence. Faith needs no proof; that's why it's faith.

Nice points #223 but science in terms of the 'creation' also requires considerable faith, It's up to the individual where he puts his/her faith.

whouahhhhhh

Hyper bravo to the scientist allowing such fantastic travel via these photos

I don't see a Walmart.

O-o-o our Future... Hi Future Earth...

#213: I have always thought it ironic and more than a little hypocritical when people who believe in the biblical account of creation use words like "absurd." What you must try to do is realise that yours is not the only point of view - that there are many of other faiths (not to mention people who consciously avoid subscribing to any faith) who hold your own beliefs to be absurd. Scriptural authority is inherently weak because it lacks a reinforcing logical principle. That is to say, it is tautological: the Scriptures are right because they are right; if anyone questions why they should be accepted as truth, their defenders will simply say that they are true and move on without providing a real reason. The problem with this is that the adherents of many other religions will, if questioned, simply say that their own myths and fonts of authority are also inherently true. Even while you may believe that they are all wrong, they think exactly the same thing about you. So what makes you right? You have your faith that you are correct; the others have exactly the same thing. The debate can never be settled because in the end there is no logic involved. Those who believe in mythological creation and the inherent but unprovable authority of ancient texts have no ground on which to argue against others' beliefs while still claiming that logic and reason are on their side.

Science, by contrast, does not draw its authority from "inherent" (but ultimately empty) truth. A scientific understanding of the universe's origins is reinforced by hundreds of thousands of experiments, all of which are demonstrable and verifiable, and many of which point to the same conclusions about the formation of stars, planets, and galaxies. And before someone inevitably raises the misbegotten argument that atheism is itself a religion, it is not. To say that atheism is a religion is like saying that baldness is a hair colour. Atheism is the conscious rejection of superstition that cannot be validated empirically and that has proven, time and again, to be little more than a tool for ideological and political control. The fact that so many religious fanatics can be found defending their illogical views alongside these beautiful images is simply proof of what I established earlier: that they are afraid. They are afraid of knowledge, they are afraid of discovery, and they are afraid of their own species' potential for innovation and development. Religions had their chance to lead the world: they gave us the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the Jihad, among others. It is time for them to step aside and let reason take the helm. Religions may have their place in giving their believers comfort and guidance, but those who attempt to impose their illogical judgements on these images and the science they represent are doing nothing more than prove that their antiquated dogmas are fearful, and rapidly crumbling.

Nice to see our new home before we finish demolishing our current one! Is there any oil on Mars?

What's with the God freaks? Was there a link from Drudge Report?

Why dont you put out more pictures like this so peeps "like "Richard Hoagland dont use the blurry crap pictures to say there are structures on the planet.

#228, I agree that religion has spawned some atrocities. However I must also disagree with you. Science can explain much, however certain things simply cannot be explained by scientists. How is the assertion that science can explain everything anything less than asserting the "inherent truth" that you so vigorously go against in religion? I personally am an agnostic; I feel that science is a great thing and can help immensely, however some things we simply have to take on faith. Actually, speaking on a level of quantum mechanics as I understand them, there is the possibility that I will simply disassociate into my component atoms, however I take it on faith that that won't happen. If you truly go entirely by what science has proven, then you would be a nihilist and not bother to do anything, believing that nothing has any purpose.

To your assertion that basically all religion is evil, let me acquaint you with several verses from several holy scriptures. from the Koran: [2.224] "And make not Allah because of your swearing (by Him) an obstacle to your doing good and guarding (against evil) and making peace between men, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing." as well as [14.23] "And those who believe and do good are made to enter gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them by their Lord's permission; their greeting therein is, Peace." From the Torah: Deutronomy 10.19 "Love ye therefore the stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." and Leviticus 19.18 "19 Love ye therefore the stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.". from the New testament: John 15.12 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." and Luke 16.13 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Religion hasn't given us the Crusades and the Inquisition. People have given us the Crusades and the Inquisition. Just like they gave us the Holocaust, Hiroshima and Nagasake, the killing fields of Cambodia, the Purges in Stalin's Russia, and the removal of Native Americans. As for the Jihad, have you actually looked it up? The Jihad isn't truly about violence. A Jihad isn't necessarily war. It is regretfully interpreted that way by many, but it can also mean a goal to strive for, or to spread the will of Allah. It doesn't necessarily mean violence at all. In fact, due to the rest of the Koran, it is better interpreted to mean non-violence, or if any violence, only in self defense. Also, remember that religion doesn't impose anything. The leaders may be afraid of change, but bashing them isn't going to change anything. The only way to change is logical discussion. There are some fanatics who insist that everything be subject to the letter of their personal scriptures, but most have a subclause somewhere involving tolerance. They may try to convert you, but it shouldn't be a demand. The ones being the most vocal are often the ones with the least attachment to the vast body of worshipers.
Also, #230, "God freaks"? C'mon, lets not resort to names. How would you like being called a science freak?

what gets me is how it's simultaneously alien and familiar. i love the variety, not just a uniform red plain of a planet. stunning.

Who cares HOW Mars (or anything else) got to be the way it is? No matter how it happened, it's equally amazing.

How wonderful is His creation!

Thank you for brining these stunning pictures.

AWESOME. There is no other word for it.

mindblowing pics man never in my life have i visited such a place not even my dream
gr88

Wow - some of these would be called "rivers" and "liquid water effects" if they were pictures of earth. NASA's attitude to mars is very entertaining. It's good how they hide the most compelling data.

Google M1501228 and study that image strip closley. Let's hope they release MRO pictures of that area.... Google M01501228 for a video of it.

I am impressed with the high definition of these pics. Can't wait to see some extreme closeups of locations of high interest for water, life, etc. I've seen some very interesting shots that look like trees, lakes, etc. on other sites. Hopefully, closeups of these will clear up the misinterpretation of those areas. Well done, NASA. These two projects on Mars, and the Hubble Space Telescope, are your best efforts since the Moon landings.

#194 just pwned everyone!

Awesome pics, scales woulda been nice, along with an image of Mars (google mars) on the exact location of what's being shown. Since they've been taking photos for so many years i wonder if there is any time-lapse photography of the planet? So that we can see these dust devils and dry ice evaporation occuring.. that'd be awesome!

Its interesting to me how these images look very much like hi-res closeups of matter under a microscope.

#238- I Googled it, and looked at both the image and the video that zoomed in on the sections that are presumably interesting, as well as discussions of what these features represent. I see nothing more remarkable or inexplicable than any of the images above. I certainly see nothing more than geology. It is, I admit, quite interesting geology, and I too would be excited to see some higher-resolution photographs. I don't anticipate that a clearer image will reveal lakes of liquid water, or Martian technology/architecture, or anything of the sort. I expect that, like the Martian Jesus face, future study will reveal merely a collection of rocks and shadows and dust that make interesting patterns, patterns that change with image quality.

Mars is under very close scrutiny. A Martian civilization is not going to be hiding in one photograph among millions.

Post 238.
Sounds like you have the inside on this one. Whats your take on the data in these strips.
Someone with Ph.D. in thier name and works for NASA should be telling us.

Completely awesome!

Subhanallah! Glory to God with his creations!

Glory to God!? When will we just grow up and out of this fairy-tale?
If it's all god-made, what's the purpose of it all? A whole universe for a small bug in such a small star system?

The true amazement that only an atheist can feel is to think that all that is was formed in billions of years by all the laws of the universe we already understand and by some others we will understand one day. There is really no need for a god to exist in order for such images to be taken, appreciated, studied and analyzed.

Do you, theist friends, really really believe that God has carefully created all the small details on the Martian soil we see on those pictures?

Can we have wallpaper formats of these, I'd love to have them as my laptop's background

There is no god.
All religion is nothing more than superstition.

Gotta admit, these pictures sure sturd a lot of people. Cool ! I would'nt ever have thought what mars looked like through any of my telescopes !
I will imagine a lot more when I do. Amazing ! Creation, It is a big question? Its science all right, but its God too... Dont You Think?
Since Ive learned more about the history of the universe, beginning to really grasp whats happening in time space, and that infinity just might be a physical posibility, then we better look at these pictures in every way !
Comment at will ! Why Not?

These images are beautiful. Many thanks to all who contributed to bringing them to us.

The most startling thing, noticed especially in the first two photos, is how alien and yet familiar these vistas are. The first photo looks like a close up of maybe a square mm of dermus yet is actually many square km of planet surface. The pictures of dust trails look like draconian tatoos, yet rather than something that was scarred they are something that is laid bare. In is out, up is down, focus is fluffy. When we view these images, we must leave the familiar behind, and open our minds to possibilites - all possibilites.

Very beautiful. Very haunting. Very compelling.

Será esse o futuro da terra? parece que a maioria destes cenários já tiveram abundância de água!

Its only me or pic #11 look like its moving?
Great and exciting stuff

#194 & #228 - VERY WELL SAID. I hope you don't mind if I borrow your logic, as it is better stated than I have ever been able to come up with myself.

All the religious nonsense aside, these are incredible pictures. Sometimes it's difficult to justify all the money spent on space exploration, but with governments around the world spending trillions of dollars to try and buy our way out of a recession, and often spending it poorly, the money spent to explore near space suddenly looks like a fantastic investment.

Lol @ 150.

Trisha really thinks humanity doesn't have the power to destroy it's own planet?

It's no wonder this country is crumbling at our feet. People like her get a vote.

These are indeed the most amazing photos and we are privileged to be able to see them and be part of the generation that is at the forefront of discovery of this wonderful planet.
To all the different brands of religious nutjobs that insist on selling their flavor of god, when will you open your eyes and see that belief in a higher power is a leftover from darker days when people couldn't explain what they were seeing, and had a fear of dying that was so great they invented an afterlife to make them feel more at ease when the time came. Get over it, or keep it to yourself. Feel free to engage in a sensible, intellectual conversation or go back to your barn and bleat your crap to others like yourself.

Stunning pictures,and thank you for posting them.

Isn't it sad and amazing that such fascinating science almost immediately gives rise to antagonistic postings from religious and anti-religious folks. Whether God made it, or God set the parameters of the Universe that caused it to be made, or random chance caused it - it's a fantastic achievement that has enabled mankind to take these pictures.
I happen to be a minister (in England, where we get less worked-up than in some places) but I cannot see why we can't all admire the magnificence of what we see regardless of our beliefs or lack of, and without slagging off each other.

Thanks for posting - wonderful! I'm always amazed at how important it is for atheists to YELL out their points and how angry and simple minded they seem to be. Science is something complex and beautiful and thank God, consistent. The rest is up to us...get it? It's actually a brilliant plan - and we are free to choose that way. Free. And I don't need to understand the exact origin everything for it to be real to me. I trust that love is real magic. And no, believing in God doesn't mean I think that he "makes" every little thing like some robotic Christmas elf. It's much more complex - and in fact - much more simple than that. Beautiful images! Why do people need to argue about how this got there to enjoy it? Please just do. It's thrilling to be a part of this miracle called life. What a true gift to be alive and be a human being with such potential as to take photos of Mars. Wow!!! Unbelievable. Peace~Love~Joy and God Bless. ~Angel22

you will laugh a little,but a lot you will cry when you see the Reality.

Fantastic!!! Even though, I find the images have something frightening in spite of their beauty. All the landscapes and patterns are so mathematically and physically correct -- but when only the physical laws rule, without the intervention of life with all it's messy irregularities -- that's what it looks like!
Fantastic, but dead, perfect, but too perfect.
Brummbaer

Hey #210 - Murphy - I'm all for the comparatively small amount NASA and JPL invest in taking the world on an armchair tour of the solar system. Most other government spending is on things that are (multiple choice) wasteful, onerous, frightening or dangerous (all of the above?). It's nice to know that in contrast a tiny percent goes toward something fascinating which no previous generation has been privileged to see. Keep it up!

beautiful pictures..... it is sad how we have to lower this conversation to "you're stupid" " no you are stupider"
I wish I could go to Mars and get away from all this arguing.
( It must be sad to feel like an accidental bug in a giant empty bowl)

i just came across a beautiful verse in Quran which speaks of how vain arrogance is."And walk modestly on the earth,surely you cannot cleave the earth asunder,nor can you reach upto the mountains."

Ignore the cynics and zealots. These are truly mind blowing photographs. A deep bow to the people whose genius, vision, and dedication made these dazzling photos possible.

NG

Beautiful! What a wonderful world I live in!!! I cherish every sense I have!!!! I have read most comments... hmmmm? Appreciate what ya see? Did you enjoy the show and the beauty? If you did not, WHO CARES!!! Why did you even bother with the slide show??? Good job NASA!!!! We invest to explore!!! Get over it.

Marvelous pictures - make you wonder about the planets close to Earth, the Universe and mankind - shall we ever know all about it? But, whatever costs - exploration and knowledge must go on!

FOR- MI-DABLE ! ! !

To realize joy we must have poverty of spirit
If we did nothing else but take care of the bottom of the glass, we would never have the resources to fill it.
Thank you for exploring our universe....I am now me!

Just want to say Andromeda , Its everything but yours to say what catagory all this belongs in. God Science. Human Acheivement!
Just Human Acheivement ! Grup

All these comments prove is that irrational religious belief is creepy. Do you fundie nuts realize that most of your stupid ideas--including creationism--is rejected outright by the people actually building the machiness that take these pictures? Do you understand that beliefs about the universe are incompatible with the geological reality of Mars?

At the rate these idiotic, literalist beliefs are spreading, the United States will be more backward than Saudi Arabia in twenty years.

Wow, Both at the pics and at the comments.
#150, im suprised you even have internet access to be honest with that take on things, why bother paying for it, surely if God wanted you to have access he, or she'd, (now there is a contriversial statement!) would have bought it for you - Im amazed the wheel was invented with that thinking.

If people have faith, of any kind, religion, pixies, whatever, then good for you, Its yours and as such is a personal thing, i.e not pushed onto anyone else. I personally feel that science neither tries to prove or disprove any of the above, it simply strives to find evidence that suggest certain hypothesis are more or less likely than others. However, im more than happy for you not to share my views, as long as you can accept, and not try to change my opinion, that i may not share yours.

One or two comments suggested that what does it matter about our footprint (bootprint?) on earth, who do we have to answer to?
Has it occured to you that as well as you having "rights" (a concept i dont perscribe to) that other species have just as much claim to be here, are you so sure humanity idsthe most important species here? - who told you that, your religious text? interesting....

If people question the US spending on NASA, perhaps you should be more concerned with your governments military spending??? for those who dont know US military spend is circa $650 billion in 2009 alone, comapred to nasa taking $450 billion - in 50 years from 1958 -2008, about $8 billion a year. I agree with others that the NASA spending has produced more than just pictures, but images which instill hope and dreams to millions, if nothing else has helped the (US) economy a little ;)

Anyway all that aside, Great pictures, I'm not particularly old, yet hope I am alive when people manage to travel there.

In spite of their beauty I find the images have something frightening. All the landscapes and patterns are mathematically and physically correct -- but when only the physical laws rule, without the intervention of life with all it's messy irregularities -- that's what it looks like! Fantastic, but dead -- perfect, but dead perfect.
Brummbaer

what is striking and beautiful is not always good,but what is good is always beautiful.

Amazing pictures but some comments ... why to talk about any space missions if we have still such "interesting opinions" on earth?!

Mars is so beautiful, but humankind will fix it soon

I'm sorry but I respect the fact that this is interesting to most but this Boston Big Picture Segment was a big of a let down for me. Most of the pictures are difficult to make out and are not the lease bit "eye popping" as I thought they would be. #30 picture was the best picture out of all of them. And for a "red" planet these pictures are lacking colors. Too gray and neutral.

when you were born,you were the one crying and those around you were smiling.leave the world so that you are the one smiling and those around you are crying.

This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. So many memorable features. How foreign it looks.

these truly are some of the most amazing images I have seen utterly alien and utterly beautiful

Sorry for the mistake, but 13 Isn't a dune, it's a McDonalds....

@232: YES, PLEASE call me a science freak. I prefer to be known to all as an intelligent, independent thinker rather than a mindless follower of the absurdity that is religion.

And I want to say thank you and keep up the good work to all of the people who protect our "right" to see the pictures for free. our tax dollars at work. Is this a fabulous by product of net neutrality?? anyway thanks again for all of your hard work. As a high desert lover, the images are both companionable and strange. what an inspiration. Yeah NASA.

It was an awesome pictures ,I didnt know that Mars look like that, just like seing in the microscope. fantastic! Thank you

Gorgeous, scarey pics BUT where are the Martians????

INCREIBLE!!! PRECIOSAS FOTOS!!!!! MERECE LA PENA LA INVERSION DE LA NASA....

Science without faith is merely a black hole!

Beautiful photos! Worth every penny spent over several decades to develop the ability to take them. It is amazing that so much can be done with such a truly small amount of money. I look forward to seeing even more wonders of the universe like these, before I shuffle off this mortal coil. Thank you, everyone who worked to make these photos happen!

Really great photos. Also the photos taken are very clear and bright. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos.

Beautiful images of another world, like looking through a wormhole into another universe, and you guys are arguing over politics and religion. Not really sure you type of people should ever be allowed to go into space.

@ 232 how can you say that you are agnostic, while using scriptures from Quran?

funny eh?

Lovely images, I wonder how far Human strength will reach out in space.

Some abstract painters should definitely find inspiration with this pictures.
Great work.
Thank you for sharing.
Only one regret...I would love to see the scale written somewhere. It would help appreciate the images much more.

i like #284

Life is vast,life is fast,but God is merciful.

Awe-Inspiring, with an overwhelming sense of grandeur.
To think that for 1000's of years man has looked up and wondered...

Sad I did not see any martians to be honest.

These pics make me feel like painting, dreaming, designing and using all of my creative juices to the greatest capacity. Someday we will all understand it.

...where are pictures of the face ?...

I worked on the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) at the company that also made HiRise (the camera that took all of these photos). My name is among the thousands listed in the back of the "Roving Mars". I am proud to have been a small part of it.

The amount of money spent on space exploration is a minuscule fraction of the 12 trillion dollar US national debt. Indeed, if you lined up 12 trillion one dollar bills, they would reach well beyond Mars. The combined mission cost of MER was $820 million, which is like 0.007 percent of our debt. Assuming you make $60,000 per year, 0.007 percent of your salary would be $4.20. I would say that this small investment in the future is probably worth more than most of the other items that the government pays for.

Regarding religion, I often find atheists to be more dogmatic than "believers". They only believe in the subset of the universe that can be proven from known postulates. Not only are the postulates incomplete (and are themselves unprovable), but there can be truth that is unlinked by reason to the set of postulates.

It is like a game of solitaire. You follow the rules of reason, but many times, there are still cards that remain hidden with no way to get to them.

Can you break the rules and find the hidden cards with revelation- or "soul"-based systems, i.e. religion?

Well, I believe that these photographs are beautiful, that music and art can have beauty, and that things can be right or wrong independent of majority rule. A true atheist cannot believe any of these things, because they are invisible and have no evidence that supports their existance. They are the "dragon in the garage" of Carl Sagan's analogy.

But they ring true in my soul.

Perhaps the vast, complex, mottled, and beautiful surface of Mars is as naturalist Loren Eisley said (quoting Thomas Hardy), "...but one mask of many worn by the Great Face behind."

I love space! These are great! Incredible.

Oh yes, very inspiring and I plan to get creative with them, collage or something.

These images are stimulating to all of us, poetic, look at the assorted comments, fires sparked - art, science, religion, literature.

Wow. Amazing. Your religeon is your BELIEF. It's your OPINION. Everybody has one, not everybody wants to hear it. So keep your gods to yourselves and drool over the beautiful pictures.

Believing in religion is something inside YOU. This isn't a church sermon or a place to pick up new recruits for your particular branch, flavor, division or any other synonym you may prefer. So if you're trying to spread the word, go to church or meeting place or whatever you like to refer to it as and blahblahblah all you want. Leave it out of the discussion of the pictures. God Damn! ... whoops... blasphemy!

Absolutely amazing!!!

It's time for more missions to find out if there is life out there.

Here we are enjoying the work of brilliant people, explaining in detail the terrain on Mars while 95% of floors our own world's oceans---- including large swaths of submerged lands the the US claims as sovereignty territory---remain totally unexplored. Think about it. What lies under waters here on earth is vastly unknown. More support should be offered to Robert Ballard, an oceanography professor at the University of Rhode Island ( whom is famous for co-discovering the wreck of the Titanic in 1985) will be the chief of the "Okeanos" which will embark on a nonstop hypothesis-generating voyage (only pausing when something interesting appears). This is the first vessel of its kind as it is equipped and devoted to detailed Oceanic Exploration. Praise to Ballard and I look forward to learning of all the new and exciting "underwater" discoveries here on earth.

To # 232 - thoughts at midnight: Faith is a mode of belief in which something is accepted as truth without direct evidence; it is also a very powerful and, for many, meaningful form of belief. Accepting that you won't spontaneously dissolve into component atoms isn't an act of faith, it's a logical extension of previous observation. There are over six billion people on the planet; to our knowledge, none of them have yet been reduced to a quantum soup for no apparent reason. We expect that we will not dissolve in such a way not because there is no observable data, but to the contrary, because there is a tremendous abundance of observable data. Either you're not quite clear on what faith means, or you're attempting to manipulate the semantics of this discussion in such a way as to paint science as merely another religion, when in fact it is the exact opposite. Contrary to what you seem to suggest, science is in no way possessed of the inherent but empty truth claimed by religion; iInstead, scientific truth is demonstrable through observation and experimentation. And if you say that science cannot explain everything, and therefore we must have recourse to faith, you need only look to history to see that your argument is invalid. A thousand years ago, it was not known that the sun was a star. Two hundred years ago, galaxies were not known to exist. Fifty years ago, we had not yet observed the most distant objects that allowed us to calculate the universe's approximate age. As it has progressed, science has explained more and more. To suggest that it will somehow cease to explain, or that any given aspect of the universe should forever lie beyond its potential to understand, is to completely ignore a historical precedent stretching back thousands of years.

You also suggest that science without religion is conducive to a nihilistic understanding of existence, but this argument holds no validity. Are we not capable of creating, living by, and upholding our own values? The very diversity of cultures around the world suggests that we are - as much as it may upset some individuals, their own particular ideologies are not the only ways of seeing the world. As social creatures who largely rely on each other for their livelihood and survival, it is in our interest a species to form a societal systems in which we can interact benevolently and productively. We do not need an arbitrary teaching from a mythological figure in order to accomplish this; much to the disdain of those who wish to spread religious supersitition and hate, atheists around the world are living full and altruistic lives. This is not to say that religion is anathematic to these things; to the contrary, many religions (as you have noted) encourage compassion and consideration for fellow human beings. The religious err, however, if they claim that their faith is the only way to morality.

As for your assertion that people, rather than religion, have given us crusades, holy wars, and genocides: it seems as though you are biased to a pro-religious understanding of the world despite your professed agnosticism. How can you ascribe all the good qualities of religion to the religions themselves, but conveniently blame all their negative impact on human failings? A religion is nothing without its followers; in turn, believers are a socio-political non-entity without a shared core of beliefs. The two cannot be dissociated as easily as you seem to think - or to want. I do not deny, as I have stated above, that religion can foster many benefits, both by creating a support system for grief, decision-making, and self-reflection and by encouraging benevolence and compassion in the world. The quotations you have chosen prove this. However, there is a dark side to the same works which you have selectively ignored. For example: "Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers, smite at their necks...those who are slain in the Way of Allah...he will never let their deeds be lost" (Qu'ran 47:4). Or this: "Any man or woman who is involved in the practices of mediums or oracles shall be put to death" (Leviticus 20:27). I am, to be honest, quite astonished that you say "religion doesn't impose anything." To the contrary, it attempts to impose everything - a way of living, a way of believing, a way of seeing the world, and in some cases (as the quotations above illustrate), a decision that the lives of others must be censured or ended. Your attempts to dissociate human action from religious agency and to selectively ignore violent and hateful passages in canonical texts suggest a confusing and illogical polemic of religious apologism.

As for the Jihad, I am indeed familiar with what the Jihad is. However, it seems to me that the lines between the lesser Jihad (that is, that which is waged against Allah's enemies) and the greater Jihad (a struggle to do Allah's will within one's own body and mind by overcoming temptation and engendering compassion) have become increasingly blurred, if they ever were clearly delineated. As I have illustrated, the Qu'ran itself advocates violence in order to subdue the enemies of Islam. Those Muslims who choose not to interpret this passage in such a way, and to adopt a more peaceful worldview, are praiseworthy indeed, but the fact remains that this passage and others advocate the violent destruction of unbelievers. No matter how you look at it, such passages will not disappear, and if you feel that this represents an incorrect understanding of the Jihad, I am sure this is of little consolation to the tens of thousands of victims of Islamic extremism perpetrated by individuals who are quite certain of the literal interpretation. The same could be said also for those who suffer (and have suffered) the effects of militarism and censure at the hands of Christian, Judaic, and other religious groups.

If you are determined to accept the good that can arise from religion, even elementary logic dictates that you must also accept its numerous evils. Attempting to do one without the other, or to adopt the straw-man argument of blaming these evils on people rather than institutions, merely debases the level of discussion on these forums and illustrates a grossly biased apologism masked by a thin veneer of apparent logic.

Signed, #194 and 228

To # 232 - thoughts at midnight: Faith is a mode of belief in which something is accepted as truth without direct evidence; it is also a very powerful and, for many, meaningful form of belief. Accepting that you won't spontaneously dissolve into component atoms isn't an act of faith, it's a logical extension of previous observation. There are over six billion people on the planet; to our knowledge, none of them have yet been reduced to a quantum soup for no apparent reason. We expect that we will not dissolve in such a way not because there is no observable data, but to the contrary, because there is a tremendous abundance of observable data. Either you're not quite clear on what faith means, or you're attempting to manipulate the semantics of this discussion in such a way as to paint science as merely another religion, when in fact it is the exact opposite. Contrary to what you seem to suggest, science is in no way possessed of the inherent but empty truth claimed by religion; iInstead, scientific truth is demonstrable through observation and experimentation. And if you say that science cannot explain everything, and therefore we must have recourse to faith, you need only look to history to see that your argument is invalid. A thousand years ago, it was not known that the sun was a star. Two hundred years ago, galaxies were not known to exist. Fifty years ago, we had not yet observed the most distant objects that allowed us to calculate the universe's approximate age. As it has progressed, science has explained more and more. To suggest that it will somehow cease to explain, or that any given aspect of the universe should forever lie beyond its potential to understand, is to completely ignore a historical precedent stretching back thousands of years.

You also suggest that science without religion is conducive to a nihilistic understanding of existence, but this argument holds no validity. Are we not capable of creating, living by, and upholding our own values? The very diversity of cultures around the world suggests that we are - as much as it may upset some individuals, their own particular ideologies are not the only ways of seeing the world. As social creatures who largely rely on each other for their livelihood and survival, it is in our interest a species to form a societal systems in which we can interact benevolently and productively. We do not need an arbitrary teaching from a mythological figure in order to accomplish this; much to the disdain of those who wish to spread religious supersitition and hate, atheists around the world are living full and altruistic lives. This is not to say that religion is anathematic to these things; to the contrary, many religions (as you have noted) encourage compassion and consideration for fellow human beings. The religious err, however, if they claim that their faith is the only way to morality.

As for your assertion that people, rather than religion, have given us crusades, holy wars, and genocides: it seems as though you are biased to a pro-religious understanding of the world despite your professed agnosticism. How can you ascribe all the good qualities of religion to the religions themselves, but conveniently blame all their negative impact on human failings? A religion is nothing without its followers; in turn, believers are a socio-political non-entity without a shared core of beliefs. The two cannot be dissociated as easily as you seem to think - or to want. I do not deny, as I have stated above, that religion can foster many benefits, both by creating a support system for grief, decision-making, and self-reflection and by encouraging benevolence and compassion in the world. The quotations you have chosen prove this. However, there is a dark side to the same works which you have selectively ignored. For example: "Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers, smite at their necks...those who are slain in the Way of Allah...he will never let their deeds be lost" (Qu'ran 47:4). Or this: "Any man or woman who is involved in the practices of mediums or oracles shall be put to death" (Leviticus 20:27). I am, to be honest, quite astonished that you say "religion doesn't impose anything." To the contrary, it attempts to impose everything - a way of living, a way of believing, a way of seeing the world, and in some cases (as the quotations above illustrate), a decision that the lives of others must be censured or ended. Your attempts to dissociate human action from religious agency and to selectively ignore violent and hateful passages in canonical texts suggest a confusing and illogical polemic of religious apologism.

As for the Jihad, I am indeed familiar with what the Jihad is. However, it seems to me that the lines between the lesser Jihad (that is, that which is waged against Allah's enemies) and the greater Jihad (a struggle to do Allah's will within one's own body and mind by overcoming temptation and engendering compassion) have become increasingly blurred, if they ever were clearly delineated. As I have illustrated, the Qu'ran itself advocates violence in order to subdue the enemies of Islam. Those Muslims who choose not to interpret this passage in such a way, and to adopt a more peaceful worldview, are praiseworthy indeed, but the fact remains that this passage and others advocate the violent destruction of unbelievers. No matter how you look at it, such passages will not disappear, and if you feel that this represents an incorrect understanding of the Jihad, I am sure this is of little consolation to the tens of thousands of victims of Islamic extremism perpetrated by individuals who are quite certain of the literal interpretation. The same could be said also for those who suffer (and have suffered) the effects of militarism and censure at the hands of Christian, Judaic, and other religious groups.

If you are determined to accept the good that can arise from religion, even elementary logic dictates that you must also accept its numerous evils. Attempting to do one without the other, or to adopt the straw-man argument of blaming these evils on people rather than institutions, merely debases the level of discussion on these forums and illustrates a grossly biased apologism masked by a thin veneer of apparent logic.

Signed, #194 and 228

Simplemente "maravilloso" ......

Religion is a fun part of history. Leave it out of modern sience!

Stop forcing your religious beliefs on your fellow man. Leave it out of politics, work and sience, if it makes you feel good, then ofc. keep reeding the god ol' book, but damn it, i don't care what your mom told you about creation. Try to find some evidence for your argument and convince me.

Awesome piccs btw!

if you stare at pic #11 it does move

These photos are chillingly beautiful. Intricate. Complex. Lonely. Awe inspiring.

There are many comments on this post about religion and the existence of God. Both sides of the issue have been quite juvenile at expressing their feelings.

Something to think about...

Clearly we do not find it hard to believe that the MRO & HiRISE required intelligent design and meticulously organized resources in order to give us the results we see here on this page. To put it plainly...we are not surprised that the HiRISE camera had *a maker*. It only makes sense...it's logical.

So why is it so difficult to acknowledge that a planet - which holds to a consistent orbit around the sun, which is adorned with surface textures we interpret as being 'beautiful', a planet whose very continued existence and stability is the result of strict, unwavering scientific laws and principles - could not be the product of intelligent design? That it just happened? Is that logical?

If I dissected the HiRISE camera into all of its basic parts and swirled those parts around in a bucket for millions of years, would those parts eventually join one another to make up a complete camera - by accident? If I took those parts and ignited an explosive under them, billions of times over, would the camera form?

Yet, this is how many describe the origin of our complex universe and the origin of mankind itself.

Although there are many systems of worship and acknowledgment that confuse and divide people and nations - one must admit that the complete denial of the existence of God is more of a leap of faith than admitting to His power.

@304: Wow, that was the most intelligent comment thus far. First degrading everyone that has commented on religion because you obviously think so highly of yourself. You are not any different than anyone else that has posted. To top it off, that was the worst analogy I have ever heard. You might as well say what every other Christian or Catholic faith has expressed thus far, that your belief is ultimate and you don't even have to hear out the Big Bang theory fully before you plug your ears. You don't even have the facts to base your opinion. I am confused as to why you think you are allowed to call others juvenile. Depending on your definition, your post could be classified just the same as the "others".

Those that believe all life was created by God have a right to do so just as those who subscribe to everything being pure science. I guess the question I would pose to the science-only believers is; if all science was true and accurate, how do you feel about the huge holes that are being punched into the global warming hysteria? Not only has it been proven otherwise, but now we find the people who started this entire scam are being investigated for the fraud they have perpetrated on humankind.

Again, believe what you want, but all science is not proven to be true. Much of it is opinion-based with theoretical models these opinion-makers have devised. I'm sure Al Gore will continue to beat this drum since he is obviously making millions by doing so. Think about it.

@306: Not really sure what kind of point you're trying to make. Nobody is telling anyone else that they can't believe in God. But I'm going to go so far as to say that if those believers voluntarily bring their God into the conversation, then their God is subject to being questioned by any person who does not believe the same.

Some people feel that it is necessary to make comments about how much they love god and want to say thanks when they look at these pictures when they can do it in the privacy of their home. They are attempting to bring religion into a discussion based off something that was never meant to instigate an argument in the first place. Stop it. That is all.

Interestingly you say I degrade everyone else whilst you use your entire comment to degrade me.

What I gave was basic logic. You say my analogy was the worst you've ever heard? How so? What's your reasoning? That's what I provided to you...offer me the same or, no, I won't listen to what you have to say.

I admit I was incorrect in calling anyone juvenile...but the back in forth "you're wrong and I'm right" arguments with no logic, no reasoning remind me of conversations with my 2 year old niece. That was the point of the remark.

Personally I believe you're upset with my analogy because it's common sense logic that you can't easily refute, so, instead, you attempt to attack the person who made the comment.

So, I guess you and I aren't that different after all. :)

@307. My point is simple. People can believe any way they choose and also have the right of free speech to express themselves. Just because someone states they thank God or any other diety of their choosing doesn't make them a bad person, just as an atheist can do the same. But trying to tell someone to "Stop it" is not your place and vice-versa. We are a free country - that is until we as a people allow that to change, which I hope never happens. As such, we are free to express ourselves and stating one's belief in God harms no one unless they choose to be harmed. The same can be stated for those who believe otherwise.

My other point? Not all science is true or at least not accurate in all cases. The global warming point was just one example. Others? How often do they come out with a new scientific study that completely dismantles the previously stated understanding of how things work - especially in medicine? Pretty much daily.

@308: I wasn't attacking you, I was reminding you that you are a person just like everyone else who has posted. From my stand point it seems we pretty much see eye to eye. lol.

@309: There are places specially built for people to worship their god. Outside of those sanctuaries is a common place where a lot of people may not believe the same. Once they start blabbering off about it in front of others, that's when drama starts. I'm saying: If they don't want their god subject to criticism, then keep it in their home and sanctuary and there won't be any issues. Pretty simple. I personally don't care to hear it, it's like nails on a chalkboard, pointless and unnecessary to mention it in public unless they're trying to spread the gospel, but this is not church nor a place to be trying to spread the holy word.

Your other point? I still don't see one. You've never thought something to be true and then later realized that you were wrong? Sounds to me like you got some grudge or a personal vendetta against science for mistakes made. Everybody makes mistakes, I can't figure out why you're trying to blame science. Why don't we just blame Canada while we're at it for having vulgar movies with really bad language that makes our kids use dirty cuss words? lol

what does god have to do with Mars? i doubt the superstitious even knew mars existed

Some of you whacky commenters are just RUINING my enjoyment of this top shelf space porn.

turtles

we hear noises

wwwwoooooowwww!

Subhanallah... I don't speak Arabic, I'm not moslem. If the translations are accurate this word appears to be an expression of wonder and joy in these photos quite as much as the secular exclamations of delight. And, perhaps because I don't speak Arabic I also don't feel like I've been hit with the god stick again, the way I do when someone starts barking in Fundamentalist-speak.

These are beautiful, wonderful photos of Mars; Earth governments object, rightly, to photos this detailed of their sovereign territories.

Someday, someone will stand on the edge of Victoria Crater.

Christianity:
The belief that a cosmic Jewish Zombie who was his own father can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telpathically tell him you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in all humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree.

I don't mean to bag on Jesus (because that wasn't even his real name, and I like the guy) but his followers are loons.

Science is the study of all Creation. To study a Creation is to better know the Creator. You can dislike the big bang theory, but it was invented by a Catholic Bishop, you can think Evolution is evil, but it is endorsed by the Catholic Church.

So, I don't see the riff with Science? It in NO WAY destroys anything God Made, it simply describes it, lets us enjoy more years of it, and lets us see more of it (like these lovely images).

But yeah, some religious folkes like to ignore the uncomfortable parts of the Bible (like most of Leviticus) and then yell at people who don't believe the other parts. Stop that. It's annoying and I don't think Christ said "annoy people". Well, he may have said it, but they never wrote it down.

wow

It is long past time to make a lotamento on Mars. A gated community. Only for VIPs.

What the hell does Religion have to do with these images? Why can't all the god botherers just step out of the box and quit thinking that gods creations are so pretty. These views are pretty because they are! they were sculpted by fairly well natural forces.

They are works of science and art at the same time. Monuments to humanity's most noble intentions. I'm very glad to see people putting the cost of capturing these into context as I'm fed up with people complaining about spending money on space exploration when there are so many problems on earth. Those problems could be solved easily if most people in positions to make a difference weren't corrupt, paranoid, xenophobic, selfish, religious, or owing favours to those who paid for their election campaigns.

NASA's unmanned planetary exploration program is among the noblest endeavors the human race has going for it. These images are free from all the distortions of most things people do. They were not made by anyone trying to profit or claim dominion over the lands they portray. This makes them pure, made for their own sake, simply because it's fascinating. Keep it up.

I think that Mars is our future home, so we should support scientist
in their research to clarify us more about planet.
Moreover these photos shows that there might be an extra life out
of our beautiful earth: extra terrestres. Why not us too won't be extra terrestre?

What fabulous images.
This could be the portfolio of a great artist.
Evoking the experience of God/NoGod, fundamentally the same experience.
Hugh

Stunning. Life surely thrived here eons ago. Will our planet go the same way? Such is the enduring mystery of this Universe.

FIGHT THE FUTURE

Dang yall mayB thats all our problem.... we've forgotten how to STOP and just graciously enjoy and bask in just such instances where we have been given a real treat in the images that some, more than most seem to hold vast and mundane opionions about. If you dont like ice cream then what the hell R ya doing ordering a sundae. Maybe willy wonkas great big hunkin chocolate factory and its scrumtious contents is more to your personal liking?!* If that be the case mayB thats where you outta B :)

If we had listened to the religious authorities regarding science, we NEVER would have seen these spectacular photos, never explored the solar system, never discovered new galaxies. Look what they did to Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, etc, or anyone curious who discovered something new about the universe in which we live.

I agree with a logical approach. I think we need to euthanize all imperfect babies and old people, when they reach a point at which they can no longer contribute to the good of society. The babies never will contribute, and they consume resources needed by we producers. Sorry, although some people may love them, love is not logical, and it is not logical to allow non-producers to exist, generate carbon dioxide that is polluting the planet, and consuming precious resources.

I don't understand why such an interesting site has to be polluted by theological and anti-theological arguments. Some look at this and see God's hand in the creation and beauty of it, some look at it and see random chance given eons to act, to produce this interesting and sometimes beautiful scenery. Nobody's going to change anybody's mind with arguments and mean-spirited cracks on a web blog. It would be logical to just shut the f*** up whether you believe in God or not, and let other people make their heart-felt comments.

I'm pretty sure "life as we know it" never existed on Mars. There are no gushing oil leaks, plastic garbage, billboards, or any of the other things we love to do to our environment.

Right.... I don't know why a religious argument has been started here. No matter how everything GOT here - it's STILL awesome! The beauty of the universe is something everyone can have their own theory about - religious or otherwise, and NO ONE knows for certain which is correct (thats why we need faith, or why we continue exploration in an attempt to find out) so... yeah.

You can believe anything you want and still appreciate Mars's awesomeness :)

wow,from ITALY, very nice.

Круто!Очень красиво.охота верить в то,что жизнь там существует.

I'm very happy to have my tax dollars used for NASA.

Da frage ich mich beim Überfliegen ja schon, ob man nicht irgendwie bescheuert war. Herzlichen Dank für deine Einsichten

Love has many faces. Love sometimes smiling, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying, sometimes she is an angry wild cat, grimacing, hisses, and a moment later thrown in your face, to scratch out my eyes. Fear of such love.

Herrlich, nun endlich habe ich das Problem wirklich begriffen ;-)

"Science without faith is merely a black hole!" agreed. i think it takes faith to follow science, especially since we're constantly backpedaling/re-evaluating/and replacing the paradigm.

and for Rafael, who asked if God might really concern himself with the details of something like the dunes on Mars... why not ?? Why would God approach something like a human ? Free from the constraints of time, limited knowledge, and mortality...why not ?

Ich bemerke jetzt in diesem Moment, dass ich deinen Blog wesentlich haufiger aufrufen musste - da komme ich echt auf krasse Ideen

Life is beautiful, life is rare, lets just appreciate it and what it can offer but in return we should respect it and each other.

It is a sad case that evolutionists and creation devotees are brought to the point of argument over some pictures of a planet that is in many ways identical to Earth. What is shown in these pictures we will be seeing continually throughout the entire Universe as time progresses. There are planets in the same temperature range as ours with both water and oxygen present. We will be astonished at how non-unique our star system is, and at the basic life forms we will find elsewhere in our own galaxy, and beyond.. Cognitive development of life is the rarity, and our uniqueness, but it has happened before us, and will happen again. Distances between solar systems and galaxies, and the inability to achieve light speed will forbid us to reach beyond our own small planetary system within a reasonable length of time to explore these other planets with possible similar atmospheres, but these laws of Physics also forbid anyone else from visiting us, I believe. We are destined to be alone, even if we are not. So enjoy these pictures, and just accept each other for who we are, lucky to be alive to witness this vast gift.

where be aliens?

Hat jemand eine Ahnung wie umfassend das verallgemeinerbar ist?