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Author Archives: rburnham
THEMIS: Frost-free southern polar cap features
THEMIS Image of the Day, June 6, 2019. This VIS image shows part of the south polar cap. The dark bands are troughs. The multiple layers of dust and ice that comprise the polar cap are visible in the trough … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Arizona State University, ASU, Mars Odyssey, NASA, south polar ice cap, south polar layered deposits, THEMIS, THEMIS Image of the Day, Thermal Emission Imaging System
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MARCI weather report, May 27-June 2, 2019
There was a slight uptick in dust activity this past week on Mars. The week began with a couple of arcuate-shaped dust storms extending over the retreating seasonal north polar ice cap in Acidalia and Arcadia. Looking to the southern … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged atmosphere, clouds, dust, dust storms, haze, Malin Space Science Systems, MARCI, Mars Color Imager, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MRO, MSSS, NASA, storms, weather, wind
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Curiosity update: A many-layered plan
Sols 2427-28, June 5, 2019, update by MSL scientist Claire Newman: The main focus of today’s plan was observations of the interbedded thick and thin layers we found at Woodland Bay before we drive away again, perhaps as early as … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Aeolis Mons, atmosphere, Avon, CBU, clay-bearing unit, clouds, Crakaig, Curiosity, Deeside, Gale Crater, Glen Torridon, Lochgilphead, Mars Science Laboratory, Mons Graupius, Morningside, Mount Sharp, MSL, Murray Formation, NASA, Olrig, Tobermory, West Side, Woodland Bay
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InSight: Getting the Mole moving again
Scientists and engineers have a new plan for getting NASA InSight’s heat probe, also known as the “mole,” digging again on Mars. Part of an instrument called the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3), the mole is a self-hammering … Continue reading
Curiosity: Morningside’s layers
Sol 2427, June 5, 2019. The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) is continuing its survey of the Woodland Bay area and the Morningside outcrop in particular. The layers in Morningside appear to have cyclic patterns which, if real, likely reflect … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Aeolis Mons, CBU, clay-bearing unit, Curiosity, Gale Crater, Glen Torridon, layered deposits, Mars Science Laboratory, Morningside, Mount Sharp, MSL, Murray Formation, NASA, stratigraphy, Woodland Bay
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HiRISE: A song of dune and ice
A song of dune and ice. This image shows rare dunes superposed on elements of the polar cap near Olympia Undae, which is a vast dune field in the north polar region of Mars. HiRISE Picture of the Day archive. … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged dunes, High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, HiPOD, HiRISE, HiRISE Picture of the Day, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MRO, NASA, north polar ice cap, north polar sand sea, Olympia Undae, sand dunes, University of Arizona
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How the James Webb Space Telescope will study Mars
In the summer of 2018, a dust storm blanketed the entire planet Mars. From the surface, the Sun would have looked like tiny orb in a murky brown sky. Dust carpeted the solar panels of NASA’s intrepid Opportunity rover, which … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged atmosphere, climate change, James Webb Space Telescope, JWST, weather
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THEMIS: Long trough in southern polar cap
THEMIS Image of the Day, June 5, 2019. Today’s VIS image shows part of the south polar cap. This image was taken at the end of southern summer. The dark line running down the image is one of numerous troughs … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Arizona State University, ASU, Mars Odyssey, NASA, south polar ice cap, THEMIS, THEMIS Image of the Day, Thermal Emission Imaging System
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Latest weather at Gale Crater and Elysium Planitia
Daily Elysium charts and data (temperature, wind speed, atmospheric pressure) here.
Posted in Reports
Tagged Curiosity, dust storms, Elysium Planitia, Gale Crater, InSight, Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations Geodesy and Heat Transport, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL, Mars Science Laboratory, MSL, NASA, temperature, Temperature and Wind for InSight, TWINS, weather
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Curiosity: Hazcam shows Morningside
Sol 2426, June 3, 2019. With Curiosity parked at Morningside, the front Hazcam took a scene-setting image showing the layered outcrop (center) and its surroundings, with Vera Rubin Ridge in the background at right. Click the image to enlarge it. … Continue reading
Posted in Reports
Tagged Aeolis Mons, CBU, clay-bearing unit, Curiosity, Gale Crater, Glen Torridon, Mars Science Laboratory, Morningside, Mount Sharp, MSL, Murray Formation, NASA, Vera Rubin Ridge
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