Comments on: This time, Phoenix won’t arise from the ashes http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:45:12 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Nancy Mehegan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/comment-page-2/#comment-134740 Nancy Mehegan Sun, 16 Nov 2008 06:19:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/#comment-134740 Read some Epitaphs for the failing Lander: http://www.vaboomer.com/the_portal_to_boomeranger/2008/11/epitaph-for-the-mars-lander.html Read some Epitaphs for the failing Lander:

http://www.vaboomer.com/the_portal_to_boomeranger/2008/11/epitaph-for-the-mars-lander.html

]]> By: StevoR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/comment-page-2/#comment-133921 StevoR Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:42:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/#comment-133921 Argh! Its <i> always </i> the italics ... :-( <b>TAKE II</b> (Oh how I wish we could just EDIT these properly. Sigh.) ---------- <b> shane </b> also said on November 12th, 2008 at 8:20 am : <i> “Wow, Nov. 9 was Spirit’s 725th day. Apparently the dust storm is easing but I haven’t seen mention of how they clean the solar panels or if it is possible at all? I suppose if it was a manned mission they’d send someone outside with a broom.” </i> If I recall right the dust-devils that swept over the MERs ‘Spirit’ and ‘Opportunity’ actually cleaned them off rather nicely and improved their energy gathering capacities. :-) As for a manned mission using a broom to clear the solar panels, well I’d imagine just a damp cloth would suffice .. Although on second thoughts as soon as they stepped outside the cloth would freeze solid so maybe just a dry one would be best? ;-) <b>BigBob</b> Said on November 12th, 2008 at 8:28 am : <i> "Lets remember that this mission brought us one of the coolest astro pics of all time, the “Phoenix Descending” HiRISE image. ... I.saw.it.launch. Bob(Big)" </i> Absolutely - I bet that shot will be in Phil's 2008 Best images post! :-D It certainly deserves to be. Yes, <b>Steve A</b> , my fingers and toes are crosed for 'Spirit' - now it & its sibling rover must be setting some kind of record for lasting so long already and heres hoping it keeps on roving for a while yet! :-) Argh! Its always the italics … :-(

TAKE II (Oh how I wish we could just EDIT these properly. Sigh.)
———-
shane also said on November 12th, 2008 at 8:20 am :

“Wow, Nov. 9 was Spirit’s 725th day. Apparently the dust storm is easing but I haven’t seen mention of how they clean the solar panels or if it is possible at all? I suppose if it was a manned mission they’d send someone outside with a broom.”

If I recall right the dust-devils that swept over the MERs ‘Spirit’ and ‘Opportunity’ actually cleaned them off rather nicely and improved their energy gathering capacities. :-)

As for a manned mission using a broom to clear the solar panels, well I’d imagine just a damp cloth would suffice .. Although on second thoughts as soon as they stepped outside the cloth would freeze solid so maybe just a dry one would be best? ;-)

BigBob Said on November 12th, 2008 at 8:28 am :

“Lets remember that this mission brought us one of the coolest astro pics of all time, the “Phoenix Descending” HiRISE image. … I.saw.it.launch.
Bob(Big)”

Absolutely – I bet that shot will be in Phil’s 2008 Best images post! :-D It certainly deserves to be.

Yes, Steve A , my fingers and toes are crosed for ‘Spirit’ – now it & its sibling rover must be setting some kind of record for lasting so long already and heres hoping it keeps on roving for a while yet! :-)

]]> By: StevoR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/comment-page-1/#comment-133920 StevoR Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:33:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/#comment-133920 <b>shane</b> also said on November 12th, 2008 at 8:20 am : <i> "Wow, Nov. 9 was Spirit’s 725th day. Apparently the dust storm is easing but I haven’t seen mention of how they clean the solar panels or if it is possible at all? I suppose if it was a manned mission they’d send someone outside with a broom." If I recall right the dust-devils that swept over the MERs 'Spirit' and 'Opportunity' actuallycleamned them off ratehr nicely and improve dtheir energy gathering capacities. ;-) As for a manned mission using a broom toclear the solar panels, well I'd imagine just a damp cloth would suffice .. Although on second thoughts as soon as they stepped outside the cloth would freeze solid so maybe just a dry one would be best? :-) shane also said on November 12th, 2008 at 8:20 am :

“Wow, Nov. 9 was Spirit’s 725th day. Apparently the dust storm is easing but I haven’t seen mention of how they clean the solar panels or if it is possible at all? I suppose if it was a manned mission they’d send someone outside with a broom.”

If I recall right the dust-devils that swept over the MERs ‘Spirit’ and ‘Opportunity’ actuallycleamned them off ratehr nicely and improve dtheir energy gathering capacities. ;-)

As for a manned mission using a broom toclear the solar panels, well I’d imagine just a damp cloth would suffice .. Although on second thoughts as soon as they stepped outside the cloth would freeze solid so maybe just a dry one would be best? :-)

]]> By: StevoR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/comment-page-1/#comment-133919 StevoR Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:28:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/#comment-133919 <b>shane</b> Said : November 12th, 2008 at 4:18 am <i>"StevoR, like this? :roll: " </i> Exactly! & then <b> shane </b> said : <i> "Which is done like this… :roll: " </i> Thanks! :-) shane Said : November 12th, 2008 at 4:18 am

“StevoR,

like this? :roll: ”

Exactly!

& then shane said :
“Which is done like this… :roll: ”

Thanks! :-)

]]> By: Mike http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/comment-page-1/#comment-133810 Mike Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:41:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/#comment-133810 That was me, Steve A. Thanks! That was me, Steve A. Thanks!

]]> By: Tom Marking http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/comment-page-1/#comment-133753 Tom Marking Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:57:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/#comment-133753 Drat, I thought they were planning on Phoenix lasting until the end of December or early January. It would have been cool to see the condensation of carbon dioxide forming around the spacecraft. They are expecting something like half a meter of frozen CO2 to form around the spacecraft during the winter time. That would have been a very cool photograph to look out and see a winter landscape on Mars. Maybe there would have been frozen CO2 icecycles hanging off Phoenix's arm. I guess now we're not going to be receiving those cool pictures. I wonder if HiRISE can zoom in and get some of those shots now that Phoenix is dead. Drat, I thought they were planning on Phoenix lasting until the end of December or early January. It would have been cool to see the condensation of carbon dioxide forming around the spacecraft. They are expecting something like half a meter of frozen CO2 to form around the spacecraft during the winter time. That would have been a very cool photograph to look out and see a winter landscape on Mars. Maybe there would have been frozen CO2 icecycles hanging off Phoenix’s arm. I guess now we’re not going to be receiving those cool pictures. I wonder if HiRISE can zoom in and get some of those shots now that Phoenix is dead.

]]> By: BigBob http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/comment-page-1/#comment-133721 BigBob Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:28:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/11/11/this-time-phoenix-wont-arise-from-the-ashes/#comment-133721 Lets remember that this mission brought us one of the coolest astro pics of all time, the "Phoenix Descending" HiRISE image. Click my name to see the *srsly embiggened* image at the Planetary Society. And big thanks to Emily for her awesome coverage of the mission. I.saw.it.launch. Bob(Big) Lets remember that this mission brought us one of the coolest astro pics of all time, the “Phoenix Descending” HiRISE image. Click my name to see the *srsly embiggened* image at the Planetary Society. And big thanks to Emily for her awesome coverage of the mission.
I.saw.it.launch.
Bob(Big)

]]>