h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: A Pyramid on Mars - A850114
Author: Gnomon - U151503

Something light, for a change.

Smart entry, Gnomon.

I wouldn't usually pick up on typos but these two might slip through the net otherwise - 'Elisabeth Sladen' (s, not z) and Osirians (one s) - although in the episode it's *pronounced* Osirans, that's generally felt to be Tom B messing it up

Best line in the history of the show comes from the villainous Sutekh: 'Your evil... is my good...'

Thanks, Jimster. I've corrected those two typos.

Yes, Gnomon, it is, isn't it!

I love the conclusion!

I really like this one.

Azara

"In April 1998, NASA finally sent a probe with the mission of mapping the entire surface of Mars. In doing so, it provided more detailed photos of the Face and the Pyramid. They were revealed to be nothing more than naturally occurring mountains. Mankind, or at least a small part of it, had been fooled by the natural ability to recognise order in chaos, even when there is none."

I don't remember this . I was under the impression that NASA lost the 1998 Mars Probe (in fact the "theres a pyramid on Mars" people started muttering about a conspiracy, predictably). Is there any sort of NASA link to the mission and the photos?

Hi there,
It was the appropriately named '2001 Mars Odyssey'. It was launched 7 April 2001 and dropped into Mars orbit almost 2 years ago on 23 Oct 2001.
Odyssey's home page is on http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/
It did send back clearer pictures of 'the face' and I think they were featured in the press at the time. I haven't looked lately but you might be able to find it on the above ref.
All the best
DK

"It was launched 7 April 2001 and dropped into Mars orbit almost 2 years ago on 23 Oct 2001. "

Just wondering if you could 'remind' me what won the Grand National in 2003, then?

Aaargh !!
DK
One and one is two... two and two are...

While NASA's 1998 mission to Mars, launched in Decemeber 1998, did in fact fail, their 1996 mission, the Mars Global Surveyor, was successful and continued to orbit the planet taking photos. You can read about at the following NASA / JPL site:

http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/index.html

There is a specific section on recent (2001) images of the "Face" at:

http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/msss/camera/images/moc_5_24_01/face/index.html

This page contains a link to another page which is not operated by NASA but by a Space Science company, but it is endorsed by NASA. It contains the details of the 1998 photos of the Face and the Pyramid. This page is at:

http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/MENUS/cydonia_list.html

I've reworded the section about NASA sending the second probe to Mars. It did state that the probe was sent in April 1998, when in fact it was sent in 1996 but only photographed the pyramid in April 1998. It is now correct.

I really liked this .

One thing though. I was just getting into it and it suddenly stopped. Left me wanting more. Is there any way you could plump up the conclusion? Maybe more than one sentence?

SallyM

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Yay!

Thanks, folks, for your comments. SallyM, sorry I didn't reply to your comment. I'm aware that the entry stops rather abruptly, but I couldn't think of anything else to say about Pyramids on Mars. I was happy with the conclusion and at least one other researcher liked it, from the comments!

Nice on G,

sorry my only comment in the thread was a gag!

i *did* read it but figured it for a gimmee. Was I right, or was i... well, er... congrats, anyway.

btw, i like the conclusion as it stands too. It's really a punchline, i spose, but i think you pull it off nicely.

cya
spiff

Thanks, Spiff. Of course you've been to Mars many times in that dinky little space-ship of yours! Zorched any Martians, recently?

Kazow! Be-doo! Yakka-zap!

from me too.

SallyM