No, wait, my geography is a bit mixed up. This is Canada. I just got confused because I’m in the part that’s named after Mars, and is a bit Mars-like. Or was it the other way around, that a scrap of Mars was named after this place?
I should probably go back to bed, except that ReasonFest starts soon, here on Mars.
Canada, Mars, both places are uninhabitable in February.
It’s not known as Winterpeg for nothing…
Parts of South Oz (my state) are like that too.
Indeed, we got used for a few SF flicks if memory serves. Pitch Black’ at Coober Pedy among others.
If you think Canada is mars like – you should see here. Although we do have the occasional very hardy plant (usually saltbush or spinnifex grass) breaking the illusion!
Australia doesn’t get temperatures of -40°C.
@ ^ chigau (違う) : We do get Plus 40 Celsius though – does that count?
Only if you’re also getting -35 or so, Winnipeg can hit the mid-30s during the summer.
Well, Winnipeg’s recorded maximum high was 40.6°C in August 7, 1949 and the recorded minimum low was -45.0 on Feburary 18, 1966. The normal extremes are usually around +32 in summer, and around -35 in winter.
re Platylobium:
greetings, Oz person. Without having ever visited the great “down under”, my visual reminiscences are limited to Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, and various Mad Max. From those, however, I would have to chime in, that the outback round the “big red rock”, looks a lot like the images we get back from those Mars rovers doin their walkabouts on the mars outback. Am I totally mistaken?, do you agree those movies are fairly representative of both Aus and Mars? curious.
slithey tove, the Australian deserts contain many varied and wonderful things, including areas that might be mistaken for Mars. The most interesting areas to see would be the gibber deserts. The difference is that Australia’s deserts carry vegetation and animals which seem to be missing from the Martian surface. Even the aboriginal people used to be able to make a living in these desert areas because of well hidden water sources. The area around the Big Red Rock is a sand dune desert that looks quite pretty after rain. The movies were shot in areas further south, particularly around Broken Hill and Coober Pedy.
I saw the John Carter movie, there’s lots of animals on Mars.
@ 8 slithey tove (twas brillig (stevem))
Um… not really.
Some areas of Death Valley do bear resemblance to Mars (including the lack of vegetation.). Curiosity was tested there.
chigau @4: Wrong!
Rob Grigjanis #13
That’s cheating!
Other than very cold and very hot temperatures, Winnipeg is renowned Canada-wide for its mosquitoes.