Windows surprise

[markse68]

Just started up my computer and got this very appropriate and beautiful image of Mars

Anyone know if this peculiar horseshoe formation has a name? Assuming it is a photo of course and not an artistic rendition? And if so where’s it from? What took it?

Mark

Edited November 8, 2020 by markse68
typo

[DaveL59]

I got the same on my laptop yesterday afternoon, made I smile 🙂 

No idea on the object you mention tho.

[geoflewis]

The image is the same as shown on Wikipedia  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars

The notes state that this image was taken by the Rosetta spacecraft's Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS), at a distance of ≈240,000 kilometres (150,000 mi) during its February 2007 encounter. The view is centered on the Aeolis quadrangle, with Gale crater, the landing site of the Curiosity rover, prominently visible just left of center. The darker, more heavily cratered terrain in the south, Terra Cimmeria, is composed of older terrain than the much smoother and brighter Elysium Planitia to the north. Geologically recent processes, such as the possible existence of a global ocean in Mars's past, could have helped lower-elevated areas, such as Elysium Planitia, retain a more youthful look.

There is no explanation of that horseshoe 'feature', which to me looks like an anolomy......

Ok, I've kept looking at images and found another one with that feature, so it seems that it is real....

Will now have to find out more abaout it.....🤔

Edited November 8, 2020 by geoflewis

[markse68]

13 minutes ago, geoflewis said:

There is no explanation of that horseshoe 'feature', which to me looks like an anolomy......

Thanks Geoff- great info. I suppose it could be but it seems to be a suitable colour in keeping with the other dark features although it is a bit darker 

Mark

[globular]

It looks like a steep sided crater from the way the shadow is being cast. 
It's lit similar to other craters near by; the shadow being closer to full circle - which, to my eye, suggests steeper sides.
<shrug>

Edited November 8, 2020 by globular

[Tiny Clanger]

I really liked a lock screen image that was rotated away from a little while ago, and last week with some idle googleage  found this explanation of where win10 hides the images in your 'puter , and how to extract them to keep and set as a permanent background or whatever : it worked for me, so if you want to retain this or any other lock screen image here's how:

https://www.techjunkie.com/find-windows-spotlight-lock-screen-images-windows-10/

[markse68]

23 minutes ago, geoflewis said:

Will now have to find out more abaout it.....🤔

 

5 minutes ago, globular said:

It looks like a steep sided crater from the way the shadow is being cast. 

Bingo- that’s what i thought it must be but it looks so incongruous in the image. It appears in the SkySafari mars map too and they identify it as Gale Crater! 

[markse68]

3 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

I really liked a lock screen image that was rotated away from a little while ago, and last week with some idle googleage  found this explanation of where win10 hides the images in your 'puter , and how to extract them to keep and set as a permanent background or whatever : it worked for me, so if you want to retain this or any other lock screen image here's how:

https://www.techjunkie.com/find-windows-spotlight-lock-screen-images-windows-10/

Good to know- thanks Tiny- I think i will

[geoflewis]

11 minutes ago, markse68 said:

Thanks Geoff- great info. I suppose it could be but it seems to be a suitable colour in keeping with the other dark features although it is a bit darker 

Mark

Hi Mark, yes I found another image showing it which I added as an edit to my post, so certainly seems real enough....

[geoflewis]

5 minutes ago, markse68 said:

 

Bingo- that’s what i thought it must be but it looks so incongruous in the image. It appears in the SkySafari mars map too and they identify it as Gale Crater! 

Thanks Mark, yes, Gale Crater it is - great research

[Luke]

Lucky you! I got sand dunes. Or maybe it was a closeup of Mars?