Geometry in Hortensius

Today we start a new series on this blog. I am now in the process of transferring all of the old Lunaranomalies.com articles over here to the LABlog. It will be tedious, but we'll eventually get the entire site transferred. We start with an article about anomalies in the Hortensius region of the Moon...

Lunar Orbiter frame 3-123M sent to me by Steve Troy showing his original markups and recommended sectionals. I have added scale markers and references.

Hortensius is an equatorial [6 degrees N, 28 degrees W] near-side 14 km crater just southwest of Copernicus. The region is dominated by a series of volcanic domes stretching several hundred miles north of the crater itself.

When I originally got LO-3-123M and the sectionals from Steve Troy, I wasn't all that excited. Sure, there were some interesting patterns and the "volcanic" domes of this area don't look all that volcanic, but I had basically decided this would be a backburner project. Then I looked at the sectionals. They revealed a vast expanse of regular geometric patterning that seemed to flow in the same directions, parallel to each other all the way across the frames and crossing at very regular perpendicular angles. They were also not in line with the "grain" of the film and were substantial enough to be obvious with a magnifying glass. You can even note them on the highly compressed crude scan above. The fact that Hortensius is reasonably close to Copernicus and its possible box like structure added some extra interest. Volcanic fracturing can certainly cause parallel patterns, but perpendicularity over a vast (100 square kilometers) area is far harder to explain away as volcanic. In addition, the patterning seemed to be more like channels or tubes rather than a fracture pattern.

The really weird thing though was that a lot of this pattering was on top of the feeble ejecta blanket around Hortensius (the big crater in the lower middle) itself, hinting that it either came after the formation of the crater, or was only partially obliterated by the thin ejecta layer. Now, completely setting aside for the moment the strange lack of "spew" from such a large impact, my eyes were drawn to the area to the right of Hortensius, between it and Hortensius C, the smaller (about 7 km diameter) crater at the image's right edge. In here, I noted (as Steve had) some very significant geometry and some overt structures.

Note the rectilinear pattern all across the sectional image and especially the very odd looking "dunes" in the area of the arrow. I also thought that the underside of the crater just above the right corner of the arrowhead looked quite strange, and Steve had noticed the bright triangular region just to the left of this crater (above the framelet line) and dubbed it the "Fan". I proceeded to scan these two areas at high resolutions.

The "Factory Complex"

Wide perspective

Contrast enhanced version

This stunning region is about 4 x 3 kilometers, judging by the size of Hortensius C. It is dominated by triangular "hanger doors" leading to semi-recessed bunker like structures, and a stunning black box shaped object the size of a 10 story building. In addition, the pronounced right angle pattern in the foreground is reminiscent of barely covered tunnel network. There is also a striking symmetry in the exposed areas (the T-shaped feature behind the "building" for instance). There are parallel terraces all along the right side of this "Factory", and perpendicular striations (access roads?) around the "bunkers". Conceivably, the "Tunnel Network" could be lava tubes formed in the ancient past similar to riles and ridges seen in other regions of the moon. However, it should also be observed that such tubes have been proposed as ideal locations for eventual human bases on the Lunar surface because they provide easily sealed off cavities with natural protection from the harsh radiation and temperature variations that would be encountered.

"Bunker Row"

This series of raised, parallel triangular openings are recessed into the surrounding terrain, and compare favorably to the Iraqi Hardened Aircraft Bunkers shown at right. Notice the similarity of structure and scale between the features in each photo. The major difference is that the Iraqi bunkers are exposed in the flat Persian Gulf desert, while the Hortensius openings are dug in to terraced Lunar topography. This reinforces the impression of a factory or storage complex. Note also the straight line behind the first set of "bunkers" and compare it with the access roads behind the Iraqi site. Organized facilities display regular, repeating patterns and identical features over wide distances. Natural formations are far more random.

The shadows cast by the bunkers are inconsistent with oval cratering caused by ejecta impacts. To say this arrangement of objects is anomalous is a wild understatement. They are flatly inexplicable in a currently accepted or theorized geologic model.

In the upper right of the image is a rectilinear spine-like formation, again showing regular repeating geometry on the same scale over a significant area. Note also that this is 90° to the horizontal "road" behind the forward row of bunkers.

The "Lincoln Memorial"

Quite simply, there is no conventional natural explanation for this set of objects. Indeed, there is no conceivable geologic process or set of processes which can account for these structures. The large black "monolith" in the center of the image is resting on a rectangular "plank" stretching across a gaping chasm ( I hesitate to refer to it as a crater, since it has virtually no crater-like characteristics). If there is a crater there, it is decidedly rectangular, and has some very strange aspects to it's appearance. Notice that there is no discernable rim, and compare it with countless other examples of sharp edged impact regions across the Lunar landscape. The "Lincoln Memorial" itself is a roughly cubic shape, with spherical nodes or buttresses at the base along the "plank". There is a strange webbing behind the "Memorial", faintly visible in the darkness of the recessed area. Lincoln also seems to have a "head", approximately spherical and casting a vast shadow over his "chest". To the right, a canister like object seems to be linking the "plank" to the main body of the facility.

Note the shadow cast beneath "Lincoln" seems to be a hollow area with no visible support for the structure. The "plank" itself would seem to be only thing holding the "Memorial" up.

This ultra-high resolution scan of the top of the "Lincoln Memorial" displays many exotic aspects of this unique structure. Note the overall symmetry, the flat platform underneath the shadow and the spherical nodes at either end. The "Head" itself is revealed as a rounded shape, and it is clearly in front of the odd "webbing" in the background. The flat projection at the base of the shadow appears to be an opening or landing platform. This "platform" has a wall like enclosure which seems to have a partially closed door mechanism.

The "Truss"

The "Truss" has cylindrical central body spanning the "plank" and the edge of the "terraces". It is anchored at both ends by a half-slot shaped end cap which extends to the ground on each side. The archway underneath the cylindrical shape is plainly visible. This object would appear to be a support or reinforcing member holding the "plank" up.

The "Overhang"

Just to the upper right of the "Factory" area is another anomalous feature. Jutting from the top of a darkened recess is this symmetrical disk shaped object. Notice it is supported from the upper rear by a strut, and that the surrounding terrain seems to flow into the darkness below it, as if this were the entrance to an underground bunker or complex. Given it's location adjacent to the "Factory", this may indeed be precisely that. Note the generally square shape of the opening, and again the even symmetry of the both the "Overhang" itself and chasm it seems to guard. There is also a light, dome shaped node just beneath the "Overhang" in the darkened area which may be indicative of light (from the nearly directly overhead sun) creeping through thinned areas of the "Overhang" itself, or possibly of some form of self luminescence. A final possibility is that the "Overhang" itself has a light source in its central disk and this is projecting downward.
This highly overexposed and enlarged view of the area shows that the light source may be a dome shaped object, or perhaps a feature similar to the wedge shaped object to the left of the disk which has broken off from a symmetrical mount on the right hand side. Consider the image below.

By flipping the left half of the image I was able to create a proposal for how the area may have looked if in fact the bright area is a broken symmetrical arrangement. This is for visualization purposes only and is presented as an example of one possible explanation.

The "Square"

This area between the "Crater" and the "Factory" appears to be a shallow, rectangular depression roughly 300 X 400 yards. Its vertices run absolutely parallel to the major features of the "Overhang" the "Factory" and the "Bunkers". Given the sun angle, the shadow indicates a deep chasm inconsistent with cratering. A platform extends into this dark area with "ramps" on either side. By itself, the feature is nothing particularly unusual, but in context with the other features it is representative of pattern of artificiality throughout the vicinity of Hortensius.

Arcological Comparisons

Many characteristics of the "Factory", and indeed the entire Hortensius region are evocative of the "Arcology" concept first described by Paolo Solari. Note the tiered, protected portions backed by raised structures, enclosed by yet larger structures. The "Factory" represents one of the best illustrations of the use of this concept. This resemblance alone is a significant pillar of the artificiality argument.

© 1998 MICHAEL BARA

New MySpace Page

Check out my new MySpace page for updates on the "Dark Mission" book project with Richard C. Hoagland.

http://www.myspace.com/michaelbara

Face it, You're a Jackass...

Once again, we have a new image of the Face on Mars, and once again we have a series of seemingly coordinated mainstream press attacks designed to convince people there's "nothing to see here."

Besides the usual tripe from the usual suspects (like Space.com's NASA shills Leonard David and Rob Roy Britt), this time we had the testimony of a supposed "converted believer" attacking Richard Hoagland personally on the official MRO website.

The disinformational tripe of David and Britt is bad enough, but when the NASA folks have to drag out a phony "believer" for a personal attack on Richard, you know they are getting desperate. This "believer," Richard Lies (now that's an appropriate name if I've ever seen one) claims he was once an avid listener to Coast to Coast AM but repents the fallacy of his ways and realizes the Face is just a pile of rocks. However, this jackass doesn't stop there. He goes on to call Richard Hoagland a "charlatan" without making one single reference to anything Hoagland has said that was knowingly untrue. He of course worships at the alter of Carl Sagan, without apparently realizing all of the the ways Sagan showed he was a Face supporter.

Taking Mr. Lies at his word, I guess the best thing you can say about the man is that he is an admitted sellout. He credits Hoagland for inspiring him to go into a science career, but I guess you forget all that when the NASA people are paying your mortgage, huh Mr. Lies?

As to the image itself, it shows many things we would have expected (and that Richard predicted) it would. It is also by far the worst MRO image that I have seen (isn't it funny how that always seems to happen only to Cydonia images?) and in my opinion, shows clear signs of image tampering. We will discuss all this in the future, but let's just say for now that the parts of the new image that we suspect are genuine absolutely support Hoagland's specific "honeycomb" model of the Face.

Richard and I will more to say on this in the near future, but for the moment, let's just remember "don't believe the Lies."

MRO Images Pathfinder Landing Site

Earlier today, NASA released the first MRO images of the Mars Pathfinder landing site (19.5 degrees N by 33 degrees W). They show, among other things, the lander itself, some of the bigger rocks in the vicinity, and the surrounding area. The context images show many of the familiar features we have come to know and love around Pathfinder, like the Big Crater and the famous "Twin Peaks."

Some of you may remember that several years ago I authored two articles on the Enterprise Mission web site concerning what appeared to be a distant (and artificial) object in the Pathfinder panoramas, apparently at the base of the Twin Peaks. I dubbed this object the "Pathfinder Sphinx."

I was of course immediately attacked by the usual twits (like Mac Tonnies -- do we post anything he doesn't attack out of hand?) who claimed that the object should have been visible in images of the site taken by Mars Global Surveyor. They were of course wrong about that, but in any event I was hopeful that MRO images might resolve the issue.

Today, we got an image that could in fact prove I'm right and Tonnies and his pals are wrong. In the new MRO image, a bright straight line, precisely where I claimed the "Sphinx" was located, is visible at the base of the Twin Peaks. It is casting a distinct shadow, and there is nothing else in the image that is anywhere near as straight or casting a similar shadow. Unfortunately, the context image that I am drawing from is nowhere near the maximum resolution of the MRO camera, which can see objects just a few inches across. Only a small enlargement of the Pathfinder lander itself was released in full resolution. The context shots are "high resolution jpegs" -- a laughable term in any event.

So far, NASA has not released a full resolution version of the entire image strip, and it may not be easy to obtain one. But based on today's image and the anomalous nature and (perfect placement) of the shadowed object, I'm willing to bet it will show that we're right, and Tonnies is wrong.

That makes it about:

Enterprise 87 - Tonnies 0

We'll see.

Democratic Take Over Bad News for Space Program

Now that the Democrats have successfully taken over both houses of congress (it appears), there are likely to be grave consequences for both the American space program and the American people. I'll spare readers what I think of the new house and senate leadership -- you've got plenty of places in the blogosphere to get conventional political opinion-- and simply say the Republicans had it coming for the last several years of timid leadership.

The more important factor in this change is what it does to president Bush's plans for Moon and Mars exploration, what it will mean for a possible ballistic missile defense, and what the impact will be on NASA's overall budget.

While most of the democrats who won seats on Tuesday ran as moderates, the fact remains that the leadership of the party is stacked with radical, America hating far-leftists who have little use for a space program or anything that would make America safer. You can expect to see Bush's space exploration program under immediate assault, with democrats attempting to divert the money to other programs in an effort to buy votes in the next election cycle. Liberals of the ilk of Nancy Pelosi, Charles Rangel and (recently impeached for fraud) former Federal Judge Alcie Hastings will do what liberals always do: they will radically cut defense and high tech spending in order to fund these pet programs.

Richard's position is that the Space Initiative is too important to be cut, but I still think that real world politics may not reflect secret agendas. How vigorously Bush defends his plans will tell us a lot about which one of us is right.

Dark Mission Book Project

Please lay off the emails to Adam @ Feralhouse publishing. Richard mis-spoke last night on Coast to Coast AM. There is no way it can be ready for this year, or even the Spring. Adam is making all attempts to get the book out as soon as possible. We'll have more on the project as it develops.

Mike

Joshua Tree

I'm finally recovered from the Joshua Tree experience with Richard Hoagland and pals. It was a very cool weekend. My mind is still processing everything I saw and heard. For those that missed it, Lunar Anomalies Steve Troy and I both presented, although my presentation was on Columbus day. Despite getting lost once, it went pretty well and the weekend as a whole was a great success. Don't miss Richard at the CPAC conference this weekend if you get a chance to go. More soon.