Watch Martian dust devils (Spirit Rover footage)!

[Orsino]

The related story:

[Usrename]

1. Now that's cool

something to think about when I leave-

[BQueen]

2. Love it!

thanks for posting - nominated

[salvorhardin]

3. I think

One of the fascinating things that all this imagery and science the Martian rovers are bringing us is how it's slowly changing our mental picture of Mars from a cold, static place where nothing ever happens into a live planet with its' own unique history.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. Just like home!

Always would look forward to that first dust devil of Spring.

[Meldread]

5. I believe...

I believe if I am correct, that due to the low gravity on Mars that a dust devil like that would probably feel like the Earth-equivalent of a gentle breeze.

I'm shocked that if Spirit is seeing a lot of these that the dust from them isn't collecting on the solar panels and causing it to shut down.

[SaveElmer]

6. I think it is the opposite...

They are periodically cleaning the panels.

[freethought]

7. Actually I think it is spooky looking!!

It almost has a ghostly look to it! Brrr! The Mars rovers, Spirit and Oppurtunity are truly fantastic with what they have shown us. Worth every f_____g dime! The pictures are fascinating, even for a non-scientist like myself. The flip side to this is that the landscape they show us seems so desolate, lonely, and forbidding. One could say even hostile. It is almost surreal to look at these pictures.

[Meldread]

8. It is hostile.

Aside from the lack of obvious things, no oxygen for example, you could be fried by cosmic radiation and solar particles that come from Space because Mars has a weak (almost non-existent) magnetic field. Oh, that and it'd be like walking around on Antarctica.

Mars is a very hostile place, even though it looks relatively docile and calm. It's strange in away, because looking at the pictures it almost looks like it is a desert wasteland type area here on Earth.

Because of the above reasons (and a good number of others) is why I don't understand why so many people want to setup space colonies on Mars. Most of the same challenges one would find on Mars can also be found on the Moon, and unlike Mars the Moon is a hellva lot closer. I think it is because it is the planet that looks "most like home", but I think most people forget the fact that its looks are very deceiving.

You can read more about Mars magnetic field here: http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/odyssey_radiation_030313.html

[Emperor_Norton_II]

9. Mas has two things the Moon doesn't

1) an atmosphere, and
2) water

Okay, the Martian atmosphere ain't much and it sure as hell ain't breathable, but it's thick and soupy compared to the handful of helium atoms the Moon manages to hang onto. It will provide protection against cosmic and solar background radiation. In order to get the same level of protection for a lunar colony you'd have to dump a meter of regolith on the habitat.

And water is the big thing in colonization. You need a large source of it to sustain life, and the Moon doesn't seem to have much, if it has any at all.

Mars has water, it has atmosphere, therefore it's the logical place for a planetary colony despite the distance. The Moon has its uses, but colonizing it would present a whole different set of challenges. They're not the same.