It sitting near to level, close to target.

 I'm a little surprised at the underwhelming response. Have we become so jaded that a successful Mars landing is not worth recognition?

 The rest of the amateur and professional astronomy world is duly impressed.

It seems only here its not noticed. The topics mostly the usual off the wall cosmology or other . 

 I was able to watch it live on television, and I've been following the news on the Internet. It's truly exciting! I can't wait until the new of what they discover starts rolling in, I've always been fascinated by Mars.

It's amazing! Not the stunning soft landing by Phoenix on the Martian Polar surface, but that the event didn't receive a bit of recognition here.  

It is sad that we have become so jaded to this sort of success.  Not only did we nail the landing, but another space craft caught a picture of the descent!  Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows the photo HiRISE took.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

 Yeah, that has to be one of the coolest pictures I've seen in a long time.

Even if it was shooting through the thin Martian atmosphere, what an incredible camera! 

I too watched the NASA website and was happy to see it land in one piece.  That picture of the orbiting probe capturing the lander is awesome.  The picture from the ground is nice too but one can't help but noticing that save for the hexagonal pattern on the ground the surface of Mars looks about the same wherever one lands and that might be taking a bit of the excitement out of this terrific accomplishment.  Of course some of that is the choice of using a safe landing site.  We are used to the Rovers I guess.  Can't wait for it to start digging though.

L

  That was a great picture! 

   My feelings on Phoenix are mixed.  I am very glad that the retro rocket landing went well.  I think the uses of "beach ball" landings might be a tad limited, so this might get things back on track.

  In principle, the mission objectives seem reasonable enough--searching for the preconditions for life.  The information will be a welcomed addition.

  However, NASA has a rather interesting past history of actually finding evidence, and them disclaiming its significance.   There has been no sythetic reappraisal of the Viking mission, even though  evidence has been revealed since 1976 to substantiate the claim that the lander did, in fact, detect the presence of biotic signatures in the soil sample.  The primary investigator, Levin, has recently published concerning new findings and an analysis of NASA's judgment at the time based on its suppositions concerning what must be present for life to exist.

  NASA has also failed to follow up on recent discoveries of nanobacteria on Earth that would go a long way to substantiating the claim that the martian meteroite (AH---------!) did in fact contain fossilized bacteria.

  So, even with this limited study by Phoenix, what might we expect of the results?  Hints that require confirmation?  Inconclusive findings?  Results due to a malfunction of testing equipment or an unknown factor not controlled for? 

  While I approve of the smaller/cheaper mandate, and tighter cost controls in principle, it seems the Mars question really requires a new, bold and comprehensive robotic exploration--think rovers with a 21st century chemical testing lab on board, with RTGs for year-round, planet-wide, and decade long exploration.  And send two!

  My hope is that this successful landing, and the knowledge gleened from troubleshooting will result in this bolder thinking.   I think Americans can accept the attendant risks of mission failures.  Fortune favors the brave!

 The lack of interest seems to be fairly widespread. I visited several other astronomy forums to see their response. A couple had threads but at least 2 had no mention at all.

  I guess age is a factor. I'm old enough to remember the space program before NASA even existed. A lot of younger people have grown up with space exploration as a common experience.

Uranut:

 The lack of interest seems to be fairly widespread. I visited several other astronomy forums to see their response. A couple had threads but at least 2 had no mention at all.

  I guess age is a factor. I'm old enough to remember the space program before NASA even existed. A lot of younger people have grown up with space exploration as a common experience.

 I think you hit it right on. Todays generation grew up on Microwaves, Nintendos, Cell Phones and the Internet. New technology to them is expected rather than anticipated. I'm in awe everytime a shuttle lifts off and docks with the space station, I can't wait til we get back to moon exploration and full time occupation of it.

Age no doubt has something to do with the appreciation of things like the Phoenix Lander. I'm from the generation that crowded around the shortwave radio listening to the beep of Sputnik, back when all radios had a shortwave band.

It also has to do with how this news is presented. NASA and other space science agencies have lots of great web sites that provide excellent pictures and information, even their own TV channels  via satellite. Getting the word out about these media sources and where they are is where those groups and agencies fall flat.

The mass media will give a 30 second comment and then return to which sports team trounced which or what Hollywood persona just committed  the latest public gaff.

Had the mission failed though, it would still be in the headlines with loud outcries for investigations and righteous wringing of hands about the waste of public money.

Hopefully, continued success in space exploration will reach the public as a whole and interest  will continue and maybe even increase.

 According to information I've found at NASA, it can get down about 20 inches. I haven't been able to find anything about breakout force, I can't imagine that it would have a lot of power. I'm wondering if it could develop enough force to work its way down into a layer of solid ice if it found some.

  The New York Times has dedicated several columns in the recent weeks to Phoenix.  Today's article stated that the arm is strong enough to break concrete!

  Also, about 9,000 people are signed up to get special notices and updates from the mission team.

 Break concrete! That's cool, and amazing.

After 40 odd years of being responsible for the care and feeding of muti-million buck pieces of construction equipment I've always been fascinated  by some of the stuff they come up with for these landers.

I am not quite old enough to remember the beep of Sputnik but I do reacall sitting in rapt awe of the Mercury and Gemini missions on my parent's old Hoffman black and white TV.  I still am fascinated with spaceflight but like I said the pictures of Mars tend to look the same and that is death in a visual medium like TV where if it isn't visually stunning it doesn't get shown.

Of course you will find columns of detailed information in your newspaper!  Or magazines, or web sites!   It takes a bit of effort to read after all and the idiot box local news is pandering to a more primal level.

L

I think it's a wonderful achievement what NASA has done with Phoenix Lander, landing it and still in tact, ye'ha. As far as finding signs of life I don't think it will be any time soon. I would hope I'm wrong, who doesn't want there to be the possibility of life once inhabiting the Red Planet ? I know I do.

 I personally feel there's somewhat of a chance of evidence of at least a simple life form having existed at least at one time in out Solar System. Somewhere.

If discovered and confirmed it will tip over a lot of apple carts.