THEMIS Image of the Day, September 8, 2014. This VIS image shows a portion of Ma’adim Vallis, which is a large channel that enters Gusev Crater from the south. Gusev Crater is the “home” of the MER rover named Spirit.
More THEMIS Images of the Day by geological topic.
Sol 741-743, September 5, 2014, update from USGS Scientist Ken Herkenhoff: “The weekend plan is very ambitious, with a bunch of targeted remote science observations on Sol 741, contact science on Sol 742, and a long drive on Sol 743…” [More at link]
Sol 740, September 5, 2014. At the edge of Amargosa Valley, rover drivers face a choice of routes. The valley itself leads down to the left. Straight ahead is the low rise of Panamint Butte, with a distant white patch (at Pahrump Hills) just above the butte’s left end. To the right lies another path around the butte. Which way is best? Or should Curiosity turn sharply right, continue along the rimrock, and seek a better pathway down? (Click on the above Navcam composite image to load a 1.4 MB version.)
Sol 740 raw images (from all cameras), and Curiosity’s latest location map.
THEMIS Image of the Day, September 5, 2014. The lava flows in this VIS image are located on the eastern flank of Olympus Mons.
More THEMIS Images of the Day by geological topic.
Sol 740, September 4, 2014, update from MSL Scientist Lauren Edgar: “Curiosity is about to ingress into Amargosa Valley. This Navcam image from Sol 739 shows some of the beautiful layered rocks that we have been driving over and…” [More at link]
Fluidized ejecta crater in Hadley Crater with possible phyllosilicates.
Many recently posted HiRISE images.
Filled crater on the edge of north polar layered deposits. Beautiful Mars series.
Sol 739, September 3, 2014, update from MSL Scientist Lauren Edgar: “Curiosity has almost reached an ingress point into Amargosa Valley. To get into the valley, Curiosity will have to cross some fairly rough terrain, but this also provides…” [More at link]
Sol 739, September 4, 2014. Where to drive? The shallow Amargosa Valley lies to the left, leading around a low rise (Panamint Butte) toward a whitish deposit in the distance at the foot of the Pahrump Hills. Another possible drive path would send the rover around to the right of Panamint Butte. Both routes have sand-ripple hazards — and both lead on toward the west through more shallow valleys, down to lower elevations, and eventually Mount Sharp. (Three-frame Navcam composite.)
Sol 739 raw images (from all cameras), and Curiosity’s latest location map.
