Monthly Archives: August 2019

THEMIS: Lyot Crater dune field

Posted on August 9, 2019 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 9, 2019. Lyot Crater is a large, complex crater in the northern lowlands of Vastitas Borealis. This image is located along the southern rim of the crater and shows part of the dune field … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: A change in the weather (observations)

Posted on August 9, 2019 by rburnham

Sols 2489-91, August 8, 2019, update by MSL scientist Claire Newman: Over the weekend, Curiosity successfully dropped off a portion of the Glen Etive drill sample. But for some reason, the sequence was interrupted, so no images of the portion … Continue reading →

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Mars Express: Dark meets light in Terra Cimmeria

Posted on August 8, 2019 by rburnham

ESA’s Mars Express has captured the cosmic contrast of Terra Cimmeria, a region in the southern highlands of Mars marked by impact craters, water-carved valleys, and sand and dust in numerous chocolate and caramel hues. Mars is often referred to … Continue reading →

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MAVEN: Solar conjunction coming

Posted on August 8, 2019 by rburnham

The MAVEN operations and navigation teams are preparing for Mars solar conjunction, when the Sun is lined up almost directly between Earth and Mars: https://go.nasa.gov/2OOZQhy. This year, Mars solar conjunction will happen between Aug. 28 – Sept. 7. Due to … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Multi-layered story

Posted on August 8, 2019 by rburnham

A story in layers. Our objective is to examine some very nicely exposed layers in a mesa wall in Aureum Chaos. As the name “chaos” suggests, this terrain is characterized by randomly oriented, large-scale mesas and knobs that are heavily … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Northern Arabia Terra channel

Posted on August 8, 2019 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 8, 2019. The margin between Arabia Terra and the surrounding lowlands is dissected by numerous named and unnamed channels. Today’s VIS image shows part of an unnamed channel in the region. The channel floor … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Finding the plume

Posted on August 7, 2019 by rburnham

Finding the plume. We hope to determine source and identity of a unique material emission “plume” from inside a corner of this crater, which is being dispersed 60-plus miles “downwind” from this location. HiRISE Picture of the Day archive. [More … Continue reading →

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Are scarps on Mars oriented by wind erosion?

Posted on August 7, 2019 by rburnham

[Editor’s note: From a paper by Joshua Williams and three co-authors recently published in Icarus.] Scarp orientation in regions of active aeolian erosion on Mars • Scarps were analyzed in two regions of active aeolian erosion on Mars. • No … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: At the north polar cap’s edge

Posted on August 7, 2019 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 7, 2019. Today’s VIS image is located on the edge of the polar cap. The ice is located at the bottom of the frame, with the surrounding plains at the top half. The circular … Continue reading →

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Curiosity update: Success on the 22nd drill hole; happy landing day — on to year 8!

Posted on August 6, 2019 by rburnham

Sol 2488, August 5, 2019, update by MSL scientist Roger Wiens: On Sunday morning the team received the message that Curiosity’s latest drill hole was successful at “Glen Etive.” This is the 22nd full-depth drill hole on Mars, and we … Continue reading →

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