So-called Phobos Monolith

[bandreu0]

Does anyone have any more information on the above? The Mars Global Surveyor took a couple (or three) photos of this "thing". Supposedly, it is an object "embedded" in the surface of Phobos that, if the sun angle implied by the photographs is correct and barring any craters or depressions behind it, would be the height of a skyscraper. It also allegedly has a decidely pyramidal shape.

Thanks

[Communist Hamster]

i see no pic. these image posting things must be screwed.
At first i was going to say it might be a crashed space probe.

[bandreu0]

Right, I would agree with you about the crashed space probe. There are, however, three very small problems with that: 1) No space probe can cast a shadow indicative of a multi-story building, 2) No known space probe resembles a large pyramid shaped rock, and 3) No space probe can cast a shadow indicative of multi-story building.

[FieryIce]

Do you mean these nipple like things?

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpegMod/PIA01336_modest.jpg

[chunkylover58]

Conical Volcano?

[Pete]

Here it is:
http://www.vgl.org/webfiles/mars/phobos/F3.jpg
2.4m per pixel
From The Monolith on Phobos (http://www.vgl.org/webfiles/mars/phobos/phobos.htm)

Original images: Mars Global Surveyor MOC image 55103 (http://ida.wr.usgs.gov/html/sp2551/sp255103.html)

It looks pretty interesting, but without a different image angle and maybe higher resolution, I don't think it's possible to draw firm conclusions on the shape of the object.

[Avatar]

interesting
1. a part from a meteorit
2. an old volcano, maybe originated because of a meteorite hit
(3. an old alien space probe/lab :D)
--
a different angle would be much appreciated
--
edit: looks too smooth and regular for a volcano
I think we can cancel the volcano idea

[Pete]

I just want to know if it has an anomalous magnetic field...

Perhaps we could call it "PMA-1"?

[ElectricFetus]

Its a large hard meteor most likely, its shadow is long because if you look at the shadow of the craters the sun is at low angle.

[Norman]

It's probably a large stone monolith put there by an intelligent group of space travellers who dropped by for a friendly visit to Phobos and decided to leave thier calling card............

Atta Boy

[crazymikey]

It's a large mountain, that naturally eroded into a skyscraper pyramid over the course of millions of years and with a assistence of meteorite impacts periodically to give it shape.

Much like the faces on Mars - the D and M pyramids -the glass tubes and every other structure on Mars. Just telling my delusional peers, what they want to hear ;)

[spidergoat]

After looking at that picture I feel a strange desire to pick up a bone and whack my neighbor with it.


Why don't you take a stress pill, mikey, and let's talk it over. I'm sure there is a rational explanation.

[crazymikey]

I'm sure there is a rational explanation.

A rational explanation would be what? Space debris? Optical illusion? Rock formation, basically anything other than extraterrestrial intelligence? In other words, irrational explanation.

[blackholesun]

So anything remotely unexplainable for the time being is related to aliens. Wow you threw logic right out the window. I don't know what it is but I wouldn't in my right mind say "What is that? No one knows? Hell is MUST be aliens because that would keep my delusion going!".

[crazymikey]

Blackholesun, do you think I meant that?

I am simply saying, that in the list of so called "rational" explanations, include aliens, and then apply the explanation that supports the facts objectively. It's certain now that aliens exist, so why are they not part of the elite club of rational explanations? ;)

In this case(Mars structures as a whole) no explanation supports the facts, other than aliens.

It's like a jury trying to come on a verdict on a case, when all the evidence and facts support a certain verdict. Except, the jury, will not accept the verdict is possible. In other words, they are not doing their jobs.

And if you honestly want to analyse the evidence. Then do your job, sir, or don't do anything at all.

[blackholesun]

I am simply saying, that in the list of so called "rational" explanations, include aliens, and then apply the explanation that supports the facts objectively.

And I on the other hand do not add that to my list of logical reasons...especially your Mars theory. All can explained with light and shadows and you screwing with the constrast of pictures. Much more logical and more probable choices.

Why? Because just like you don't see anything in the photos that Pete posted, I don't see the amazing faces you see on Mars. I see things that could look like faces but are not to proportion with a real face (unless maybe you count a retarded janitor or sonmething).

It's like a jury trying to come on a verdict on a case, when all the evidence and facts support a certain verdict. Except, the jury, will not accept the verdict is possible. In other words, they are not doing their jobs.

What I say is juries shouldn't jump to unlikely conclusions just to close the case, alien related or not. Again I'm not going to look at something and say it is alien related just because it LOOKS that way. But I will reserve the fact that I believe it is far more likely a trick of the mind. When I evidence comes in, I will relish the fact that I was right.

And if you honestly want to analyse the evidence. Then do your job, sir, or don't do anything at all.

Guess what? I can look at photos too! I can also change the contrast to fit my agenda too! Really, that's the only analysis you're doing.

[crazymikey]

And I on the other hand do not add that to my list of logical reasons

+

But I will reserve the fact that I believe it is far more likely a trick of the mind. When I evidence comes in, I will relish the fact that I was right.

=

And if you honestly want to analyse the evidence. Then do your job, sir, or don't do anything at all.

As I said, I don't deal in opinions. You either support what you say, and I'm being polite to you, that I am listening, but, if you can't, well, it's nothing more than an uneducated opinion. Reject.

[blackholesun]

All you ARE is opinions. You can't say what you have is FACT. Nor can I say what I think is FACT. We're looking at what is more probable and most people seem to agree that it is more probable that our brains like to see familiar patterns. As I said in my other post. You could be right and I could be wrong but I think we need more evidence before anyone can say for sure what the faces are. But given the controversy of the original Viking face and the new evidence showing it to be more of a mesa, my OPINION is that these faces will turn out to be similar in nature. On the other hand your OPINION will still be that they are ET faces. Again, nothing is proved. We are agreeing to disagree.

I can only argue for so long and it is getting late. I outta here.

[crazymikey]

I've heard that one before:

"We need more evidence, and in time we'll have it, but till then we ignore the evidence we have"

That way - we'll never have enough evidence ;)

Anyway at least it shows you have no evidence, just hope of getting some ;)

[blackholesun]

Where is YOUR evidence? You say you have a lot of it but I haven't seen it! Just photos you've tampered with. I'll look at what you have or don't have in the morning.

[crazymikey]

You say you have a lot of it but I haven't seen it! Just photos you've tampered with.

ROFL

I have not even touched the photos. They are linked from other web sites. That was just a plain silly allegation.

[eburacum45]

If you examine other asteroid images, you will see boulders resting on the surface like this; gravity on Phobos and other asteroids or asteroid-like moons is tiny so these boulders just sit there on top of the regolith. The most likely explanation is that they were originally thrown out of the asteroid concerned by an impact then recollided with the parent body because of perturbation theory at a relatively low speed; not enough to cause a crater.

Basically, they are just boulders- you can see that from the rounded shape of the shadow.
In low gravity they will sometimes seem to be more upright than occurs on earth; the forces of erosion in space are subtle and slow... that boulder might have been there for hundreds of millions of years.

--------------------
SF worldbuilding at
http://www.orionsarm.com

[TruthSeeker]

Hey kids! Calm down! That was just the monolith that was used in the movie "2001: Space Odissey" or whatever! It was filmed in Phobos, not in the moon! :D :D :D

[TruthSeeker]

What are the chances of a single "boulder" falling upright? :rolleyes: ;) :p

[ElectricFetus]

Not unlikely considering how much gravity there is on Phoboes.

[TruthSeeker]

WellCooked, I think you need some seasoning... :D

[crazymikey]

Or Reasoning.... :D

[ElectricFetus]

Reasoning I’m chucked full of: I'll believe its artificial when its 1X4X9 and is ominous black! That on the photo looks like a mond of rock and dust!!!

[Norman]

Whatever it is (natural occuring or artificial), no one is going to prove it one way or the other until we either land on Phobos and/or send a robotic probe there to check it out.........Until then, your guess is as good as mine.......

Atta Boy

[crazymikey]

That is true Norman. However, till then, we can only discuss what we have, and what we have, strongly support ETI on mars. Therefore, we should consider this hypothesis viable, which is not the case with my peers here, who are more content in rejecting it as crackpot fantasy.

[Pete]

...who are more content in rejecting it as crackpot fantasy.
Who consider that what we have is interesting but far from conclusive, and that at this time there is insufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis.

[Norman]

Monoliths may be a common symbolic artifact of other intelligent alien civilizations living in other solar systems and in other galaxies. Why not? Many of earth's Ancient civilizations carved them out here too...........Ancient Egypt is a good example of that. Can't rule out that the Phobos monolith is artificial.......Never Say Never......

Atta Boy

[ElectricFetus]

were not ruling it out were saying the the likelyhood that it is artifical is small, do you want to fund a space probe design just to examine this and find its just a lump of rock?

[eburacum45]

Sounds like a good idea to me!

Let's go to Mars to find all these alien monolith builders!


But we have to promise not to be dissapointed when we don't find any...

[TruthSeeker]

Who consider that what we have is interesting but far from conclusive, and that at this time there is insufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis.
Now THAT is a good argument! ;)

[TruthSeeker]

Monoliths may be a common symbolic artifact of other intelligent alien civilizations living in other solar systems and in other galaxies. Why not? Many of earth's Ancient civilizations carved them out here too...........Ancient Egypt is a good example of that. Can't rule out that the Phobos monolith is artificial.......Never Say Never......

Atta Boy
I wonder if we can see what time is it by looking at the shadow of the monolith.... :D :D :D

[TruthSeeker]

Why would aliens build a clock on Phobos? Maybe the aliens are from Mars and they want to ban wristwatches so they built this gigantic humoungous clock in their satellite so that they could know what time it is without having to look at their wrists... :D :D :D

[lek]

Them forming time consept based on movement of small moon is a bit far fetched. More likely they saw 2001 on our tv too many times...

* grabs a bone and starts whacking

[Norman]

If (and I say if) a group of space travellers ever visit earth and they land near Stonehenge, what are you going to tell them what it is? A wrist watch????

Atta Boy