The FACE on MARS

(Go to this WEB PAGE  http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/target/update4-20.html to see the original)

Instructions for questions #11 -13 were as follows:
The Cydonia region is the controversial area on Mars first photographed by the Viking spacecraft in 1976.   Many people say it is where an ancient “FACE” was carved out of stone (orbit #220).   Pyramids and an ancient city may also be nearby some say (orbits #239, #258).  Carefully examine the photograph and tell if you can see these features or not.  There are no wrong answers for these questions.

11. A “Face” in the Cydonia region.        a) yes      b) no      c) can’t tell

12. “Pyramid(s)” in the Cydonia region.  a) yes      b) no      c) can’t tell

13. “The City” in the Cydonia region.      a) yes      b) no      c) can’t tell

RESULTS
Results were compiled after 100 Madison Middle school astronomy students had completed the Mars assignment including questions #11 - 13, during the 2000 and 2001 school years.  The majority of the 100 students were 7th and 8th graders.  There were five students who were 6th graders.

         Martian Artifact?                         #yes    %yes    #no %no    #can't tell    %can't tell
11. A “Face” in the Cydonia region.          91         91        2        2            7                    7

12. “Pyramid(s)” in the Cydonia region.    52        52         15        15        33                  33

13. “The City” in the Cydonia region.        45        45        17        17        37                  37

How big is the Universe???  The Hubble Deep Field image represents 1/30,000,000 of the sky.  If the deep field image is a representation of the entire sky, the amount of "visible"galaxies in the image can be counted and multiplied by 30,000,000 (thirty million) to reach an estimate on how "big"the universe is.

Starting with the 1999 school year, 7th and 8th grade astronomy students at Madison Middle School started counting and recording data.  The class was divided into groups of five students. Each group was responsible for counting galaxies in one of three cameras A, B or C. Four students counted a row each in camera A, B or C.  One other student wrote down the data and did the math.

Estimated "visible"galaxies in the known universe at present = 55,968,180,200 GALAXIES
"Fifty five billion, nine hundred sixty eight million, one hundred eighty thousand, two hundred Galaxies."

RESULTS from raw data (Project is still active as of January 2003's most recent results:)
42,570,000,000
43,110,000,000
43,920,000,000
44,280,000,000
44,640,000,000
45,990,000,000
46,800,000,000
47,340,000,000
47,700,000,000
48,330,000,000
48,600,000,000
49,410,000,000
49,590,000,000
50,220,000,000
51,210,000,000
51,840,000,000
52,020,000,000
52,380,000,000
52,920,000,000
53,100,000,000
53,460,000,000
54,360,000,000
54,500,000,000
54,900,000,000
54,990,000,000
55,620,000,000
55,710,000,000
56,970,000,000
58,410,000,000
58,860,000,000
59,760,000,000
60,660,000,000
60,750,000,000
62,010,000,000
62,910,000,000
63,810,000,000
65,160,000,000
65,520,000,000
66,690,000,000
68,490,000,000
70,110,000,000
73,710,000,000
78,840,000,000
80,910,000,000
AVERAGE
= 55,968,180,200 GALAXIES!!!

Of which our own MILKY WAY GALAXY is just ONE of them, and which our SUN is just one lonely STAR out of more than TWO HUNDRED BILLION STARS in our own Milky Way Galaxy!!!
The Andromeda Galaxy