Red Planet Report

Sol 4736, May 21, 2017. Three Navcam frames look southeast from the head of Perserverance Valley. At right, a false-color Pancam image from Sol 4735 (Holger Isenberg) shows the ground near the rover, with rocks displaying what is likely fluting eroded by wind-blown sand. Click either image to enlarge it.

Opportunity raw images, its latest mission status, location map, and atmospheric opacity, known as tau.

Sol 4734, May 18, 2017; Rover Field Report by Larry Crumpler, MER Science Team & New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science: Opportunity has arrived at the head of Perseverance Valley, a possible water-cut valley here at a low spot along the rim of the 22-km diameter Endeavour impact crater. Investigations in the coming weeks will “endeavor”  to determine whether this valley was eroded by water or some other dry process like debris flows. It certainly looks like a water cut valley. But looks aren’t good enough. We need additional evidence to test that idea.

A short drive to the highest local point was done immediately after arrival and Opportunity has been working on a panorama from the overlook for the past couple of sols. The idea is to get a good overview of the valley from a high point before driving down it. But before we drive… [More at link]