Martian Obelisk

I present an interesting object I found while viewing Mars via Google Earth. The coordinates of this object through Google Earth are: 27 24 40.06 S 35 18 30.46 W

You can also view the same image Google Earth has overlayed via the HiRISE webpage, found here: hirise.lpl.arizona.edu...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/0bdee2343034.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/cb1998085b70.jpg[/atsimg]

The object in question is what at first glance appears to be a boulder. However, what cought my attention was the length of the shadow.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c7afd617f8ba.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/4b55390d603e.jpg[/atsimg]

While the object appears to be roughly 12 feet in diameter, the shadow it casts measures almost 50 feet. While this is neither unusual from an optical standpoint, nor out of the realm of natural phemomena, I would normally consider this merely part of the erosion geography of the area, and move on. However, because the objects sunny side is shielded by the canyon, I can't help but think that the object might be more representative of the shadow. However, since the elevation data for the area isn't accurate enough to tell us just how high the canyon walls are, as well as how much the shadowed area slopes down, it is exceedingly difficult to derive a concrete answer.

As an additional note, there is a unique divet in the top of the object, which is also correlated in the shadow. In either event, natural or anomalous, its a pretty interesting formation.

reply to post by Wayfarer


It is odd that there is nothing even slightly resembling it in the near vicinity. Looks like a head on top of shoulders...like the sphinx...?

reply to post by Wayfarer


I believe you have found a Martian road sign...
On the serious note it is without a doubt in my mind an artificially made structure good find


One Love.

reply to post by Wayfarer


I do agree the object is quite strange... Just the location looks a bit odd maybe it could be a safe haven from the elemental forces on the planet shielded by the ridge. I got just about the same measurements too, I got about 13.6 ft. for the width and just about 50 ft. on the size of the shadow.

But there could be another reason for the object being there is the elements were coming in toward the ridge like this little diagram I made on this photo:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/92621332326a.jpg[/atsimg]

If the elements were coming in this fashion or from the opposite side it would have carved the ridge in that semi-circle shape and it also would've carved that obelisk down from a much larger object... maybe even a mountain. So many years could've passed who knows. But it is a very interesting photo.

S+F for a great find and corroborating data!

I love topographical maps, especially of astral bodies such as Mars. If only there was a way to find the exact time of image capture, but even without that there is someone out there who can at least give a size/height ratio to the surrounding canyon walls, then zoom out to derive the size/height of the canyon walls...

Temp

Ohhhhh, as soon as I saw the out of place object casting a long shadow, my lips puckered and said,"Ouuuuuuuuuuuh." Great find
It's too narrow to be a granite vein. And nothing near for it to be the remnants of a volcanic vent.
I'm sure the debunkers will call it a weather balloon or Chinese lantern.

i d like to see other pictures from the same site, from other sources... guess it s time for me to start to learn how to do that

thx Op and i must admit this "obelisk" looks fascinating, but we cant be sure it s "handmade"

reminds me of 2001 i m a kubrick fan :p

reply to post by Wayfarer


Also this image that I have provided that is zoomed in here:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6af6a3454324.jpg[/atsimg]

In this image you can see how the soil is affected by the winds this could definitely be a possible explanation for the obelisk but then again anythings possible and it could be something more and not simply a product of erosion.

It kind of reminds me of an amphitheater, with an alter in the middle.
Letting my imagination run here a bit. Bound the giant, bend his neck over the top of the obelisk, and wack his head off.
Wow, I really need to get some sleep.
SNF!

I dunno guys...the other shadows appear awful long as well....very low sunlight angle on a boulder would be my guess.

If you look at the ridge to the left...almost looks like a trail at it's highest point making straight line toward object where it rolled down. Also a break in the drift/ dune on a lower level where it broke through. Wish i had time to annotate in PS, but maybe you'll see what I mean.

Can't make out a trail behind object on bottom level, though. JMO.

it looks like the erosion (water erosion if i believe the Hi Res site) worked on all the place but not on this "structure"

very strange, unless it s not rocks ? :O maybe it s something bigger ,something artificial, buried deep , with a small part out in the "air" ?

reply to post by NoJoker13


I like your explanation better than mine...the "trail" I was seeing I now think is just the edge of the ridge top...why only one break in the drifts above if mine was the direction it traveled?

I think the sun angle is the culprit for the shadow length...seen this effect before...

reply to post by Cole DeSteele


Thanks for the support but I also like what you had to add the sun angle could also be playing with our eyes a bit. It casts very large shadows on some of the ridges which may indicate that sun may be quite low but what would puzzle me about that is that the surrounding area looks to be higher then the area in which the obelisk stands therefor if the sun was at the horizon you shouldn't be able to see that area at all. Still very interesting.

reply to post by Cole DeSteele


Edit: Also expounding upon NoJoker13's post.

My only issue with the shadow length being cause by a shallow sun angle is the canyon height. It looks like there are at least 2 decks of canyon of unknown height between the object and the sun (and if the canyon is high enough to block the object from a shallow angle then a higher angle sun that cast such a long shadow on the object would mean the object is much taller than it first appears). Unfortunatley I can only estimate as to the respective height of each deck, since the elevation data isn't accurate enough to use. However, the shadows for both decks measure roughly 50 ft. as well, which is roughly the same as the shadow cast by the object, which would mean that each deck is roughly the same height as the object, and that a single shallow sun angle accounts for the elongated shadow of the object, thus making it a more uniform spheroid rather than an obelisk(further evidence for a natural object).

reply to post by Wayfarer


Agreed.

2nd line.

reply to post by Cole DeSteele


lets assume that is is the shadows playing tricks, that still makes this"boulder" as tall as the cliff-face nearby it. the shadows are the same aproximate size, so they are either the same height, or extremely short on both fronts and just a trick of the light to appear as a magalythic structure. my money is on that it is actually a built structure. i may be wrong, but the odds and evidence seem to corroborate my theory. good hunting

Good find!

Mars is full of these anomalies and more...





And I still waiting Luna Cognita ON MARS!

reply to post by Wayfarer


Excellent find It's been a while since we had people looking for some really interesting anomalies especially on the HiRISE images

It all depends on the angle of sunlight. If the angle is low, the shadow will obviously be elongated, even on a short "boulder-like" object. However, if the sunlight is angled higher, well yeah, that may be a fairly tall object and inherently much more interesting.

Interesting pic primarily because of the shadow.

Originally posted by Arken
Good find!

Mars is full of these anomalies and more...





And I still waiting Luna Cognita ON MARS!

edit on 17-11-2010 by Arken because: (no reason given)

On the first one I cant see what you are pointing out.
The second is very interesting. Allready looking for it But how the h*ck do i use the coordinates in google mars? Can you link tot the original HiRISE image?