- My past work with NASA as a contractor for numerous projects
made me well aware of how they think and what they do. And I call your
attention to past missions, where the pictures were in COLOR.
-
- I work at a university where we do imaging of the eye.
Many new breakthroughs come about from the work done there, for diagnostic
imaging of eye problems. I'm also quite familiar with video technology,
as we use many different types of CCD science cameras for imaging.
-
- One must ask the question NOW- WHY are the pictures from
Mars in BLACK AND WHITE ? There is no real reason for this at all. Some
information surfaced a while back, that NASA admitted the atmosphere on
Mars is BLUE, not RED. There is indeed air on Mars, and although atmosphere
density is not quite the same as here on earth, it is NOT red.
-
- Color CCD cameras have come a long way, since the last
Rover mission. New products and breakthroughs are announced almost monthly
in Science Journals. Many of these have speeds that rival photographic
film. One company sells a high speed, 1,000 frame per second digital camera.
Also, light sensitivity is now more than sensitive enough for use on Mars.
-
- Everyone should demand that NASA answer the question-
why are these pictures are in black and white ? More than likely, its because
they view the public as the great unwashed, and don't want them to know
the atmosphere is BLUE.
-
-
- Comment
Alton Raines
1-5-04
-
- I remember when the first lander sent pictures back,
it's first images were a 360 degree panorama, made up of slices as the
camera rotated, and the initial images were in black and white, though
the camera was actually taking color images. I seem to remember the technical
commentator on TV saying the reason for this was, the black and white composite
image arrives first (it's travelling a long way!) and then the color data,
which is quite a lot of data, comes in more slowly. I don't think there's
anything sinister or peculiar about this. Although I did find it rather
amusing that in the first color images, the color calibration was clearly
off... the flag of the united states on the lander was pink, purple and
white, not red, white and blue. Once corrected, the red skies of Mars became
blue skies very much like our own!
-
-
- Comment
From A.C.W.
1-5-4
-
- Hi Jeff -
-
- It is not my intention to be disrespectful of Mr. Twietmeyer
when I ask: why would NASA need/want to hide the possibility of a Martian
atmosphere from the public?
-
- To what end?
-
- While I have absolutely no doubt that the space agency
has indeed been criminally misleading with the public regarding its' revelations
& discoveries to the point of being characteristic; how would such
an omission serve their purpose(s) in this case?
-
- Also: It is my understanding that it is not "air"
or oxygen that rends our own atmosphere blue; it is the reflection of sunlight
from the Earth's ocean(s) trapped in it which generates the appearance
of that color.
-
- There are no oceans covering the surface of Mars.
-
- If there was in fact, an air envelope enshrouding that
planet, would it not, indeed, appear RED instead?
-
- I'd love to hear more.
-
- Thanks, A.C.W.
-
- Update:
-
- Jeff - Perhaps I am making to much of this, but my curiosity
and sense of personal integrity drove me to do some digging (tho' I have
scant time for such right now) relative to the challenge I posed to Mr.
Twietmeyer's speculation that NASA does not want the great "unwashed"
masses to know that the Martian canopy is blue.
-
- It appears from the following link <http://webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/14C.html>http://webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/14C.html
that this would be no stunning revelation, after all:
-
- "If the Martian atmosphere were to be completely
cleansed of dust, the daytime sky would appear *blue* (emphasis mine),
just as our own sky because of Rayleigh Scattering by the molecules (primarily
carbon dioxide molecules) which make up the atmosphere."
-
- "It is possible (though unlikely) that future missions
to Mars will find a different sky color."
-
- -- It appears that I may be mistaken about the our planet's
oceans being a vital factor in the blueness of Earth's sky, however; though
I am not completely certain on that point. (run out of time on this ...)
-
- All this said: Why ARE the photos Black and White, as
the title to your posting asks? It seems highly unlikely that it is to
keep us from seeing blue skies on Mars ...
-
- A.C.W.
-
- Comment
From Jeanne La Pucelle
1-5-4
-
- The images are black and white because the navigation
cameras on the rover produces a black and white image. The new images,
coming in today or on Tuesday, will infact be in full color and very high
resolution using the panoramic cameras on board. I'm assuming the navigation
cameras are the first cameras to be activateed, which is why these are
the only images we've seen so far.
-
- I don't know if you know this, but in many professional
broadcast camera viewfinders the image you'll see is in black and white,
this is because it is easier to see focus and depth in black and white
- which would explain why the navigation cameras on the rover are configured
as such.
-
- http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/spacecraft_rover_eyes.html
-
-
- Comment
From Ted Twietmeyer
1-6-4
-
- Jeff -
-
- Here is my response to those that were kind enough to
take the time to respond to my comments.
-
- Yes, many years ago I was involved with commercial broadcasting,
and do understand black and white viewfinders.
-
- It is indeed the oxygen that makes earth blue. If it
was a reflection, then looking up at the sky from wherever you are would
reflect the color of your surroundings. IF Mars is indeed red, this would
indicate a different gas. For years NASA has said that a high-altitude
suit would be sufficient to walk on Mars. Ionized gas glows when electricity
is passed through it. A CO2 gas laser actually glows white.
-
- If the dust on Mars was as thick as some claim, then
the polar ice cap would not appear white. Clearly there are some problems
here with the dust theory.
-
- As for my comment about the public not being allowed
to know the truth about Mars, one only has to study the many different
photos that show various structures on the planet. These are in various
places, and not just in the famous Cydonia region. Such revelations will
upset many religions if brought out. Therefore, silence will rule. Considering
all the ruins on the planet, its interesting that NASA didn't choose to
land in one of those places.
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