# High-res photo of Mars - what am I seeing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-res-photo-of-mars-what-am-i-seeing/522247 "2009-12-22T22:29:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-res-photo-of-mars-what-am-i-seeing/522247/1 "2009-12-22T22:29:58Z")
In the caption below [this exquisite close-up shot of the Martian surface](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/12/15/top-ten-astronomy-pictures-of-2009/10/), a number of features are explained. But, unless I missing something, and I probably am, what is the ribbon-like structure running from the bottom right towards the upper left? And, what are the groups of short dark parallel lines that appear here and there on the ‘ribbon’ (they actually look very much like bar codes)? Are they just a more regular pattern of “dust devils” to use the term that Phil, the Bad Astronomer, mentions in the caption? Even if they are, I’m still not sure what the ‘ribbon’ is. Can you enlighten me. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-res-photo-of-mars-what-am-i-seeing/522247/2 "2009-12-22T22:35:18Z")
That’s a steep slope, where the dunes fall off at the angle of repose. The linear stripes demark gulleys in the face of the slope. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-res-photo-of-mars-what-am-i-seeing/522247/3 "2009-12-22T22:42:05Z")
Aha! Got it. Thanks. BTW, six minutes to answer? You slowing down or what? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-res-photo-of-mars-what-am-i-seeing/522247/4 "2009-12-22T22:57:13Z")
Sorry, **Karl**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-res-photo-of-mars-what-am-i-seeing/522247/5 "2009-12-23T03:13:41Z")
That photo looks strangely anatomical. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-res-photo-of-mars-what-am-i-seeing/522247/6 "2009-12-23T03:18:29Z")
Yep, I agree. Looks like a piece of flesh with a tattoo. A martian tattoo. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-res-photo-of-mars-what-am-i-seeing/522247/7 "2009-12-23T03:23:07Z")
Yeah, I’m betting the panel voting on these pics was made up of men. Lonely scientific types. . . ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-res-photo-of-mars-what-am-i-seeing/522247/8 "2009-12-23T04:31:16Z")
Turn it [180](http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1604/snap3nn.jpg) degrees and it looks like some kind of weird, hairy, Martian tramp stamp. If you click on the photo on [discovermagazine.com](http://discovermagazine.com), it takes you to a site that has links on the right to much larger images of the entire area. They are much less confusing.