"Puddles" of Water Sighted on Mars

eldavojohn writes "Further reinforcing the theory of a wet Mars, NewScientist is reporting on what appear to be water puddles in newly taken images from the Mars rover. While these results are controversial, the assumption that these blue 'puddles' are water still has to be tested by engineers. They'll try to measure the uniform smoothness of the puddle surfaces. Analysis will also examine their apparent 'opaqueness', where in some areas observers claim to see pebbles underneath the surface of the blue areas. From the article: 'No signs of liquid water have been observed directly from cameras on the surface before. Reports last year pointed to the existence of gullies on crater walls where water appears to have flowed in the last few years, as shown in images taken from orbit, but those are short-lived flows, which are thought to have frozen over almost immediately.'"

Can't be

[Jarjarthejedi]

Isn't the Mars Rover in an area where there couldn't be free flowing water? Last I checked the temperature and pressure were far from the conditions needed for liquid water to flow freely on a surface.

And as someone mentioned earlier the images are artificially colored. It's probably just a mineral deposit or something.

Right, be a team player!

[r00t]

Come on you scientist nerds. Keep examining photographs until you find a face -- no, water. That's it, we must find images that match our preconcieved notion of what it'll take to get a bigger budget, more subordinates, etc.

the burden of proof

[bwy]

The burden of truth typically lies with the person asserting the positive. However, in this case it would be interesting and useful to hear other explanations for this photo, because it *does* appear to reveal something of interest.

cant be water

[Jarik C-Bol]

ok, i'm no trained profesional in hydrophysics, but where i'm from, water obeys the laws of gravity. if you look closely at that picture, you see what is claimed to be "water" in a configuration that it could not hold, and/or would not end up in on any surface. especialy a sloped one. (short runs both up and down the "slope" and runs in oposite direction of what apears to be "primary flow" it looks like extermely fine blown sand to me. blown sand on rock.

Re:Well, admittedly, the image is interesting...

[suv4x4]

Gotta say, can't think of what it could be besides water. On the other hand, aren't the images artificially colored?

Shoot, it does look like water, a flowing river even, which reflects the blue sky and clouds on Mars.
Which it doesn't have.

Also: "Puddles of Water Sighted on Mars". Damn it, Slashdot! What's wrong with that article title? Tell me.

You forgot the damn question mark is what it is! How many times do I have to repeat: when posting dubious speculative claims that are most likely false, never forget the damn question mark!!!

As about water on Mars, if anyone's so interested, there you go [leoprieto.com]. Hope you're happy.

Re:Why oceans are blue

[suv4x4]

[snip].... water is very slightly blue, in large quantities, the blue comes out .... [/snip]

This is true. Glass is also slightly green.

I attest to that. And air is slightly cyan/blue as well. In large quantities (such as a big sky), the cyan/blue comes out.

There's nothing like reading a good piece of science on Slashdot.

There's something I can't figure out: for some reason on sunset and sunrise, water becomes slightly yellow/red, just like the air.

I'm not sure what's with that, maybe as the sun gets ready to turn off, as heading into the ocean every night.

PS: Water reflects blue a bit better, but honestly, check some photos. You see the reflection on the surface. Water isn't cartoon bright blue as shown on the "proof photos" on Mars, especially when you lack the blue sky.

NASA budget

[Brian Gordon]

Why do they keep sending such crappy cameras to mars? If I took a picture of a puddle of water with my 1 megapixel cellphone camera I could tell it's a puddle of water. Why is it so hard for them to take good pictures?!

Hats off to NASA, this time

[moranar]

For all the fun we poke at them for mixing imperial and metric units, they've done a fantastic job with the Rover, still working so long after its "due date". Congratulations to all people involved.