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Chapter 28: Problem 29

Use the Starry Night Enthusiast \({ }^{\text {TM }}\) program to examine the planet Mars. Open the Favourites pane and double-click on Solar System > Mars to view this planet from about \(6800 \mathrm{~km}\) above its surface. (Click on View > Feet to remove the astronaut's spacesuit from the view.) You can zoom in or out on Mars using the buttons in the Zoom section at the right of the toolbar. You can rotate Mars by placing the mouse cursor over the image and moving the mouse while holding down the mouse button. (On a two-button mouse, hold down the left mouse button.) Rotate Mars and zoom in and out to familiarize yourself with the different surface features. Based on what you observe, where on the Martian surface would you choose to land a spacecraft to search for the presence of life? Explain how you made your choice.

Short Answer

Expert verified
To search for the presence of life on Mars, a suitable landing spot for the spacecraft would be an area showing signs of past or present water activity. The choice has been made based on the observation and interpretation of Martian surface features using the Starry Night Enthusiast program.

Step by step solution

01

Starting the Program

Begin by opening the Starry Night Enthusiast TM program. Once it's opened, go over to the Favourites pane and search for Solar System. Here, double-click on Mars to begin observing the planet.
02

Adjusting the View

At about 6800 kilometers above Mars' surface, adjust the view by clicking on View > Feet to remove the astronaut's spacesuit. This will give a clearer, more direct view of Mars.
03

Zooming and Rotating

Using the Zoom section towards the right of the toolbar, zoom in and out to familiarize yourself with the surface features of Mars. You can rotate Mars by placing the mouse cursor over the image and moving the mouse around while pressing down the left mouse button on a two-button mouse.
04

Choosing Landing Spot

After familiarizing yourself with the Martian surface, identify a suitable landing spot for a spacecraft. This choice should be based on the observable surface features and potential areas that could sustain life. Preferred areas could be those that seem to indicate current or past water activity, as water is essential for life as we know it.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Imagine that astronomers have discovered intelligent life in a nearby star system. Your group is submitting a proposal for who on Earth should speak for the planet and what 50 -word message should be conveyed. Prepare a maximum one-page proposal that states (a) who should speak for Earth and why; (b) what this person should say in 50 words; and (c) why this message is the most important compared to other things that could be said. Only serious responses receive full credit.

Explain why infrared telescopes like those proposed for Darwin and Terrestrial Planet Finder need to be placed in space.

Search the World Wide Web for information about the Mars Express orbiter and the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. What discoveries have these missions made about water on Mars? Have they found any evidence that liquid water has existed on Mars in the recent past? Describe the evidence, if any.

Suppose someone brought you a rock that he claimed was a Martian meteorite. What scientific tests would you recommend be done to test this claim?

Use the Starry Night Enthusiast \({ }^{\text {TM }}\) program to view the Earth as it might be seen by a visiting spacecraft. First, select Viewing Location ... in the Options menu and set the viewing location to your city or town from the list of cities provided or click on the Map tab in the Viewing Location pane and use the mouse to click on your approximate position on the world map. Then click the Set Location button. Set the local time to 12:00:00 P.M. (noon). To see the Earth from space, use the up and down elevation buttons on the toolbar to raise yourself above the surface until you can see the entire Earth. You can use the scrollbars (select View > Show Scrollbars) on the right side and bottom of the window to center the Earth in your view. The Earth can be rotated to allow you to see different locations by clicking and moving the mouse while its icon, a fourway arrow, is over the Earth's image. (a) Describe any features you see that suggest life could exist on Earth. Explain your reasoning. (b) Using the controls at the right-hand end of the toolbar, zoom in to show more detail around your city or town. The amount of detail is comparable to the view from a spacecraft a few million kilometers away. Can you see any evidence that life does exist on Earth? (c) From a distance of a few million kilometers, are there any measurements that a spacecraft could carry out to prove that life exists on Earth? Explain your reasoning.
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