Comments on: Mars will pass behind sun, Rover operations affected

By: Updated

Updated — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 20:56:05 +0000

UPDATE: Answer on the question of when Earth and Rovers are in vs. out of radio contact: http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/01/how_often_are_the_mars_space_r.php

By: Tony P

Tony P — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 16:40:50 +0000

I’m continually impressed that one of the two Mars rovers is still actively exploring the planet, many years after it was supposed to fail.

Both Opportunity and Spirit are and were testaments to good engineering practice.

By: Virgil Samms

Virgil Samms — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 15:24:34 +0000

Rover communications will continue to be monitored from Mirror Earth, exactly opposite us in orbit, where our evil twins all have goatees.

By: bcoppola

bcoppola — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 23:44:30 +0000

On Mars, does Opportunity only stare once?

By: Joffan

Joffan — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 23:15:00 +0000

Martian solar day is 24 hours and 39.6 minutes. Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red/Green/Blue Mars trilogy had the extra 40 minutes or so as a kind of daily leap-period.

This syzygy is ideal as an excuse to keep the word “syzygy” alive.

By: Benton Jackson

Benton Jackson — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 21:43:10 +0000

This joke:

A Russian, an American, and a Blonde were talking one day.
The Russian said, ‘We were the first in space!’
The American said, ‘We were the first on the moon!’
The Blonde said, ‘So what? We’re going to be the first on the sun!’ The Russian and the American looked at each other and shook their heads.
‘You can’t land on the sun, you idiot! You’ll burn up!’ said the Russian.
To which the Blonde replied, ‘We’re not stupid, you know. We’re going at night!’

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 21:38:41 +0000

That was a joke. Like, the sun has a sunny side and a night side. Astronomy joke.

By: Joshua Zelinsky

Joshua Zelinsky — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:58:10 +0000

Greg, huh? It is rotating over a period much longer than the Earth day. You get to see all of the sun during daytime over a 40 day period or so.

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:35:23 +0000

I asked NASA.

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:31:25 +0000

I’ll ask.

Ask who?