HiRISE: Edge of a complex crater

Posted on August 7, 2014 by rburnham

tumblr_n9wt86yud91rlz4gso1_1280Edge of a complex crater; it’s so complex. Beautiful Mars series.

 

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Curiosity: Sol 710, August 5, 2014

Posted on August 7, 2014 by rburnham

710-south-fin-m100Above Hidden Valley’s south rim runs an outcrop of stratified rocks, with a shark-fin boulder standing high. In the distance behind the outcrop lie the foothills of Mount Sharp. (Mosaic of Mastcam 100 images; large file: 6 MB.)

Sol 710 raw images (from all cameras), and Curiosity’s latest location map.

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Curiosity: Sol 710, August 5, 2014

Posted on August 7, 2014 by rburnham

710-north-wall-m100Checking out Hidden Valley’s northern wall with the Mastcam (100mm lens) reveals layered rocks, some crossbedded (three-frame composite).

NASA description (middle frame): This image was taken by Mastcam: Right (MAST_RIGHT) onboard NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 710 (2014-08-05 13:34:03 UTC).

Sol 710 raw images (from all cameras), and Curiosity’s latest location map.

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Curiosity: Sol 711, August 6, 2014

Posted on August 7, 2014 by rburnham

0711MH0002620000204349E01_DXXXSoft sand in Hidden Valley, caught with the MAHLI.

NASA description: NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm, on August 6, 2014, Sol 711 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission, at 15:35:12 UTC.

0711MH0002640000204348E01_DXXXSol 711 raw images (from all cameras), and Curiosity’s latest location map.

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NEOWISE spots Mars-bound comet

Posted on August 7, 2014 by rburnham

PIA18593_modestNASA’s NEOWISE [asteroid-hunting] mission detected comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring on July 28, 2014, less than three months before this comet’s close flyby of Mars on Oct. 19. NEOWISE took multiple images of the comet, combined here so that the comet is seen in four different positions relative to the background stars… [More at link]

More about Comet Siding Spring and its Mars encounter.

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THEMIS: Uranius Tholus

Posted on August 7, 2014 by rburnham

Uranius Tholus volcano (THEMIS_IOTD_20140807)THEMIS Image of the Day, August 7, 2014. Today’s VIS image crosses the summit of Uranius Tholus, as well as the western flank of Ceraunius Tholus.

More THEMIS Images of the Day by geological topic.

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Mars Odyssey maneuvers for comet flyby

Posted on August 6, 2014 by rburnham

pia04816-browseNASA’s Mars Odyssey spacecraft has successfully adjusted the timing of its orbit around Mars as a defensive precaution for a comet’s close flyby of Mars on Oct. 19, 2014. The orbiter fired thrusters for five and a half seconds on Tuesday, Aug. 5. The maneuver was calculated to place the orbiter behind Mars during the half hour on the flyby date when dust particles released from comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring are most likely to reach Mars. The comet nucleus will miss Mars by about one-third the distance between Earth and its moon… [More at link]

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Curiosity update: ‘Slippage’

Posted on August 6, 2014 by rburnham

Sol 711, August 5, 2014, update on Curiosity from MSL Scientist Lauren Edgar: “Curiosity is still at the northern end of Hidden Valley. The past few drives have experienced some slip, so we are collecting data to investigate….” [More at link]

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MARCI weather report: July 28-August 3, 2014

Posted on August 6, 2014 by rburnham

releaseimg_140728_140803North polar storm activity was reduced this week, with occasional frontal storms in Acidalia and local dust-raising over the north polar residual cap and surrounding dune fields. In the south, local storms were observed in Sirenum, Aonia, Solis, Noachis, and Cimmeria. The south polar seasonal cap… [More at link, including video]

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Opportunity: Sol 3744, August 5, 2014

Posted on August 6, 2014 by rburnham

3744-pancam1After using the Pancam on the Cape Fairweather outcrop which the rover drove back north to examine, Opportunity is once again driving south toward the lower slopes of Cape Tribulation.  To avoid potentially hazardous dunes at the foot of the slope, the rover will ascend to the left and around behind the rocky knob seen ahead. The knob marks the east end of Wdowiak Ridge, a small outlier of the main Cape Tribulation rim segment. (Image is a three-frame composite Pancam image taken through the blue- sensitive filter #1, thus the reddish ground appears dark.)

Opportunity raw images, its latest mission status, and a location map. (A shortcut to Sol 3744 Pancam images is here.)

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