Figure Obtained from: APOD

This picture was posted on Astronomy Picture of the Day on February 22, 2012. When I first looking at this picture I knew that it was Earth but I thought much like others that the large rock was not from Earth. It stucks out like a sore thumb and does not look like it belongs. One can see that most of the landscape in the forefront of the picture looks to be very flat and have a scaly appearance. This appearance is due to mud flowing, then drying. As it dries the ground cracks and it gives it the scaly appearance.  This rock does not look like the rest. One can however; see a path that looks like a drag mark that fades into the background. As I looked at the caption that went along with the picture I was surprised to find out that there was a natural and earthly explanation for the position of the rock. It can be explained quite simply actually. The reason the 300 kilogram rock is able to move out to its current position is caused high winds blow the rock to its position. This would not be able to occur in the normal environment of the Racetrack Playa.  But it does occur after a rain. This allows the high winds to push even this heavy stone across the lakebed. The rain causes the lakebed to become slick and slippery and this coupled with the wind are the reason for the position of this rock.  This rock that moves like this is termed a sailing stone. Even though at first glance it looks like this may be a piece of space debris it turns out to be a rock from earth that went on a slip and slide. This shows that one has to be objective when looking at a picture and not to jump to conclusions.