Monthly Archives: August 2019

THEMIS: Biblis Patera

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 21, 2019. Today’s VIS image shows Biblis Patera, the summit caldera of the volcano Biblis Tholus. This volcano is located west of Pavonis Mons and is just one of the numerous volcanoes found in … Continue reading

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ExoMars rover: All instruments now onboard

The full suite of scientific instruments, including cameras that will give us our eyes on Mars, the drill that will retrieve pristine soil samples from below the surface, and the onboard laboratory that will seek out signs of life are … Continue reading

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Curiosity update: More SAMple analysis

Sols 2499-2501, August 16, 2019, update by MSL scientist Abigail Fraeman: Conjunction is the few-weeks period when Mars goes behind the sun and we stop communicating with our spacecraft that are there. Our last planning day before conjunction will be … Continue reading

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HiRISE: Pits on a crater floor

Pits on a crater floor. These pits are also showing some great exposure of bedrock on the floor of this massive, ancient crater, located northwest of the Hellas impact basin. HiRISE Picture of the Day archive. [More at links]

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MARCI weather report, August 5-11, 2019

During the past week on Mars, transient dust storms were observed along the edge of the south polar hood in Sirenum and Aonia. While in the northern hemisphere, storms developed along the seasonal cap edge, with one arcuate-shaped storm propagating … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Ascraeus Mons lava flows

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 20, 2019. The lava flows and other volcanic features in this VIS image (such as pit crater and pit chains) are part of Ascraeus Mons. Ascraeus Mons is the middle volcano in the aligned … Continue reading

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HiRISE: Sedimentary infill

Interaction. This crater and many of those surrounding it are filled with layered sedimentary material. There are various theories for the origin of this layered fill, and this image will help to constrain the relationship of the fill to the … Continue reading

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THEMIS: Nanedi Valles

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 19, 2019. Today’s VIS image shows a small portion of Nanedi Valles. This channel, likely carved by water, is located in Xanthe Terra. Explore more THEMIS Images of the Day by geological subject.

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ExoMars rover: Moving on Mars

The ExoMars mission will see Rosalind Franklin the rover and its surface platform Kazachok land on the Red Planet in 2021. From fine-grained soil to large boulders and slopes, the rover has to be able to move across many types … Continue reading

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HiRISE: Before Jezero

Before Jezero. Before Jezero Crater was selected as the landing site for the Mars 2020 mission, this area in Gusev Crater was in the running. The terrain here is very different from nearby Columbia Hills (location of the Spirit rover), … Continue reading

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