Have you come across the image depicting what seems to be a flying saucer sliding across the surface of Mars before becoming embedded in a mound of dirt? If not, take a look at it here. This image has been circulating in recent days under various headlines such as “Pretty Convincing Footage Of A UFO Crash On Mars,” “Mars orbiter image shows a crashed flying saucer… or something else entirely,” and “Could this be a Crashed Disc-Shaped Object Spotted Near Ceti Mensa on Mars?” The last example is from a YouTube video created by Jean Ward, a system administrator and website developer with a passion for “Mars anomaly hunting.” His online visibility grew as a result of this hobby, particularly when he shared his interpretation of a photograph captured by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2006.
Locate the damaged unidentified object in the original image.
This photograph showcases striking geological layers on the floor of Candor Chasma, a significant canyon within the Valles Marineris system.
Captured on December 29, 2006, by the HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the image reveals intricate patterns of sand- and dust-sized particles about 4 kilometers below the canyon’s edge. NASA dubbed this formation the “Swirls of Rock in Candor Chasma.” While NASA found this phenomenon remarkable, Jean Ward, equipped with time, interest, and magnifying software, digitally examined the swirls and identified what he believes resembles a crashed flying saucer.
The anomaly seems to result from a disc-shaped object impacting Mars’ surface at an exceptionally low angle, leaving behind a trench. The object has an estimated diameter of 12 to 15 meters.
Various interpretations are suggested: Is it an incomplete Project Ice-Worm structure, a potential ramp leading to an underground entrance, or perhaps an unusual arc-shaped dune?
To view the original image, Ward generously provides a link to the HiRiSE website along with instructions. He also speculates on potential explanations, such as the possibility that the anomaly is related to the U.S. Army’s Project Iceworm in Greenland during the Cold War. This project may have involved a ramp or tunnel for transporting nuclear weapons, contrasting with the popular crashed flying saucer theory.
Until closer examination is possible, these speculations remain hypothetical. Alternatively, it could be a distinctive dune formation. Anomalies, as always, depend on the perspective of the observer. The photograph’s persistence as a ‘flying saucer’ image is attributed to pareidolia, the tendency to perceive familiar shapes, like faces, in random patterns.
The proximity of Candor Chasma to the Perseverance rover and the Ingenuity helicopter is not disclosed by Ward. Still, it raises the possibility of an intriguing exploration opportunity. While the current consensus leans towards a natural anomaly, the odds of NASA investigating it closely remain uncertain. The prospect of such a mission is considered a long shot, akin to winning the lottery.
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