Monthly Archives: July 2018

HiRISE: Down in Proctor Crater

Posted on July 16, 2018 by rburnham

Down in Proctor Crater. Proctor Crater is 168 kilometers in diameter, and its massive dune field has been imaged by us for several years to track changes over time. Beautiful Mars series. [More at links]

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THEMIS: Winding channels of Elysium Fossae

Posted on July 16, 2018 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, July 16, 2018. Today’s VIS image shows part of one of the Elysium Fossae on the western flank of the Elysium volcanic complex. The fossae have both a tectonic and volcanic origin. The linear fractures, … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: Let the drill fest begin!

Posted on July 13, 2018 by rburnham

Sols 2110-12, July 13, 2018, update by MSL scientist Lauren Edgar: Drilling on another planet is no easy feat, and each time we have the opportunity to do so on Mars feels pretty special. The focus of the weekend three-sol … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Clays in the Eridania Basin

Posted on July 13, 2018 by rburnham

This colorful image shows clays within the Eridania basin region. Many scientists using orbital data have proposed that a large lake may have once existed here during the Late Noachian through Early Hesperian time periods, and then much of the … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: Voyageurs

Posted on July 13, 2018 by rburnham

Sol 2109, July 12, 2018, update by MSL scientist Abigail Fraeman: I first became involved with Curiosity shortly after starting my third year of graduate school in the fall of 2011. My graduate advisor was selected to join the mission … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Lava-coated craters

Posted on July 13, 2018 by rburnham

Lava-coated craters. The larger crater looks normal–dimpled depression with a protruding rim barely covered by lava which later deflated. The smaller depression looks deeper and steeper-sided, and the rim does not protrude, so it is probably below the level of … Continue reading →

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Walking on Mars: JPL von Karman Lecture

Posted on July 13, 2018 by rburnham

Virtual and augmented reality promise to transport us to places that we can only imagine. When joined with spacecraft and robots, these technologies will extend humanity’s presence to real destinations that are equally fantastic. NASA’s Operations Laboratory at JPL is … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Slide debris and layered deposits in Ophir Chasma

Posted on July 13, 2018 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, July 13, 2018. Today’s VIS image shows part of Ophir Chasma. Ophir Chasma is part of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon system on Mars. At the top of the image is a portion of a … Continue reading →

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Curiosity: Getting ready to drill

Posted on July 12, 2018 by rburnham

Sol 2108, July 12, 2018. With Curiosity now parked at its next drill site, the rover prepares. In the foreground is the targeted area. Click the image (6 MB) to enlarge it. Sol 2108 raw images (from all cameras).

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HiRISE: Jamming with the ‘spiders’ from Mars

Posted on July 12, 2018 by rburnham

During winter at the South Pole of Mars, a carbon dioxide ice cap covers the region and as the sun returns in the spring, “spiders” begin to emerge from the landscape. But these aren’t actual spiders. We call it “araneiform … Continue reading →

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