Strange Cross-Shaped Pattern on Mars Surface

A strange microscopic cross within a circle was spotted in an image taken by the Curiosity rover.



Here's the original image. Was this a mark made by the Curiosity rover? Some sort of strange crystalline structure? Or could it be the fossil remains of a something like a diatom? Whatever it is, it's clearly not the run of the mill shadow play and pareidolia. Surprisingly, I hadn't seen this posted yet on ATS but if I missed it my search, my apologies!

More at Unexplained Mysteries (keep an eye out for related items via Obscuragator)

a reply to: theantediluvian

looks like a ninja star

I think theres something connected over there with us?! a reply to: theantediluvian

a reply to: theantediluvian

Already discussed and shown to be the imprint from a screw on the micro-imager on the rover:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: theantediluvian

After doing a little more poking around, it appears that this is in fact an impression left by a screw head on the housing of the rover's APXS spectrometer.

a reply to: SlapMonkey

Thanks for the additional links! I read the first few pages of that thread when it was started but I didn't stick with it long enough to see that picture and the subsequent analysis.

originally posted by: theantediluvian
A strange microscopic cross within a circle was spotted in an image taken by the Curiosity rover.

Here's the original image. Was this a mark made by the Curiosity rover? Some sort of strange crystalline structure? Or could it be the fossil remains of a something like a diatom? Whatever it is, it's clearly not the run of the mill shadow play and pareidolia. Surprisingly, I hadn't seen this posted yet on ATS but if I missed it my search, my apologies!

More at Unexplained Mysteries (keep an eye out for related items via Obscuragator)

That looks like the impression of a phillips head screw... perhaps from part of the scope bumping the dust?

They are used on the rover's cameras:

www.nasa.gov...

originally posted by: zedy63
a reply to: theantediluvian

looks like a ninja star

makes sense
if ninjas lived there since you couldn't see them

I just did a quick experiment with a power supply and some coffee creamer.





The creamer was pretty coarse... I'm thinking dessicated fine powder in an extremely thin atmosphere would yield better results.

a reply to: zedy63

There are six Ninja's standing right next to it...you just can't see them because...they're Ninjas!