Image of the Day: Human-Made Shadow on Mars

 

          

 

NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity catches its own late-afternoon shadow in this dramatically lit view eastward across Endeavour Crater on Mars. The rover used the panoramic camera (Pancam) between about 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. local Mars time to record images taken through different filters and combined into this mosaic view. 

The resulting view catches a shadow of the rover in the foreground and the giant basin in the distance. Opportunity is perched on the western rim of Endeavour Crater looking eastward. The crater spans about 14 miles (22 kilometers) in diameter. Opportunity has been studying the edge of Endeavour Crater since arriving there in August 2011.

The scene is presented in false color to emphasize differences in materials such as dark dunes on the crater floor. This gives portions of the image an aqua tint.

Opportunity took most of the component images on March 9, 2012, while the solar-powered rover was spending several weeks at one location to preserve energy during the Martian winter. It has since resumed driving and is currently investigating a patch of windblown Martian dust near its winter haven. 

Opportunity and its rover twin, Spirit, completed their three-month prime missions on Mars in April 2004. Both rovers continued for years of bonus, extended missions. Both have made important discoveries about wet environments on ancient Mars that may have been favorable for supporting microbial life. Spirit stopped communicating in 2010. Since landing in the Meridiani region of Mars in January 2004, Opportunity has driven 21.4 miles (34.4 kilometers). 

The Daily Galaxy via JPL/NASA

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Comments

[William Peterson]

This picture has added a new feather into a NASA's head. Mars is the main target of NASA today and this pic shows their extraordinary efforts. Congrats to NASA.

[CBSE Sample Papers]

Is life possible on Mars??The image is interesting...

[iPhone App Development]

Great to see man leave his mark even on Mars.

[Eric]

Tourists!

[Nic]

Wow, how cool is it to watch a sunset on another planet. I cant wait till we have the tech to watch the sunset in real time on Mars. Its also so surreal how its described as being between 4.30 & 5.00pm... makes you wonder "Are mars hours longer or shorter"??? So many questions!!!!

[discount forklift parts]

This is really an amazing step took forward by NASA and They should keep working like this in future too.