"CURIOSITIES" by MarsX3D
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- Category: Mars
- Written by David Gannett
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“CURIOSITIES” in X3D Stereo
Curiosity Sol 434 M-100 W-NW - PDS by Neville Thompson
Link: http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/197231/snapshots/622056
Rounding up our survey of Nev’s beautiful PDS of sol 434 is a selection of four curiosities, seen circled in our context view.
In Detail View #1, locator dots draw your attention to these strange little items. Moving from back to front, we have what looks somewhat like a bowling ball for alien hands; in front of that, a small white egg-shaped sphere apparently floating above the ground; next, what looks for all the world like a discarded gauntlet or glove and finally, what gives the appearance of a running animal. Hmm.
Let’s take ‘em one at a time.
Detail View #2 hyperzooms on the “bowling ball”. It is apparently smooth and shows sunlight glinting off its surface. The holes are easy enough to see. But wait: take a closer look. See how the right edge of the sphere is cut off? NASA has placed a blurring block (a common practice of theirs) to hide something they don’t want you to see. If you examine the area you can see the other lines forming the blurring block. Your tax dollars at work, folks.
In Detail View #3 we zoom in on the floating egg-shaped sphere. I’m just going to leave this one right here for you; you be the judge. A trick of light and shadow? A tiny robotic drone? A really rotten egg filled with the gases of decomposition and just starting to levitate? Just kidding. I’ve never seen a rotten egg levitate here on earth. I doubt they do on Mars.
Moving to Detail View #4 we have the “gauntlet”. C’mon now. There’s the cuff on the left side, the palm, the four fingers bent a bit towards the camera and a thumb of sorts on the left side. Another trick of light and shadow or a workman’s protective glove sitting in the sand?
And finally, Detail View #5: the running critter. Take a look: everything is there and where it’s supposed to be. There’s the rump, the thigh, the leg, the back, the head, the nose, the eyes...what more do you want? It looks exactly like some strange animal boogying across the sand to get away from the rumbling, whirring monstrosity that the rover may seem to be. Probably just a rock, but it’s sometimes fun to assign a meaning even when you know it’s highly unlikely.
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“SO, HOW DO I VIEW X3D STEREO?”
Simple! While viewing the stereo pair at a comfortable distance, gently cross your eyes (no eye-strain) until you perceive three images all the same width. The one in the center is in 3D. Just relax into it and your eyes will automatically bring it into focus. Once you have it, you will never forget how to do it. Kinda like riding a bicycle…
For another, more detailed method of viewing X3D stereo, click HERE.
(Click for full-sized image)
