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Mars Panorama: Next Best Thing to Being There

By Guest PostJuly 7, 2012Sciencearizona state university, cornell university, endeavour crater, greeley haven, jim bell, mars exploration rover, mars odyssey orbiter, mars panorama, mars pathfinder, martian winter, NASA, opportunity, pancam, ron greeley, steve squyres

PASADENA, Calif. — From fresh rover tracks to an impact crater blasted billions of years ago, a newly completed view from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the ruddy terrain around the outcrop where the long-lived explorer spent its most recent Martian winter.

This scene recorded from the mast-mounted color camera includes the rover’s own solar arrays and deck in the foreground, providing a sense of sitting on top of the rover and taking in the view. Its release this week coincides with two milestones: Opportunity completing its 3,000th Martian day on July 2, and NASA continuing past 15 years of robotic presence at Mars. Mars Pathfinder landed July 4, 1997. NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor orbiter reached the planet while Pathfinder was still active, and Global Surveyor overlapped the active missions of the Mars Odyssey orbiter and Opportunity, both still in service. (more…)

Dark Shadows on Mars: Scene from Durable NASA Rover

By Guest PostMay 28, 2012Scienceancient mars, aqua tint, dark dunes, endeavour crater, giant basin, grand canyon, mars exploration rover, martian crater, martian dust, martian winter, meridiani region, nasa rover, opportunity, pancam, panoramic camera, shadows on mars, spirit, wet environments

Like a tourist waiting for just the right lighting to snap a favorite shot during a stay at the Grand Canyon, NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has used a low sun angle for a memorable view of a large Martian crater.

The resulting view catches a shadow of the rover in the foreground and the giant basin in the distance. Opportunity is perched on the western rim of Endeavour Crater looking eastward. The crater spans about 14 miles (22 kilometers) in diameter. Opportunity has been studying the edge of Endeavour Crater since arriving there in August 2011. (more…)

Mars Movie: I’m Dreaming of a Blue Sunset

By Guest PostDecember 26, 20103 commentsSciencedust particles, french author, jim bell, marcel proust, mark lemmon, mars, mars exploration rover opportunity, mars movie, martian moons, martian sky, martian sunset, moon phobos, opportunity, pancam, robotic emissaries, spirit, sun, sunset movie, sunset movie from mars

A new Mars movie clip gives us a rover’s-eye view of a bluish Martian sunset, while another clip shows the silhouette of the moon Phobos passing in front of the sun.

America’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, carefully guided by researchers with an artistic sense, has recorded images used in the simulated movies.

These holiday treats from the rover’s panoramic camera, or Pancam, offer travel fans a view akin to standing on Mars and watching the sky. (more…)

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Mars Panorama: Next Best Thing to Being There

Dark Shadows on Mars: Scene from Durable NASA Rover

Mars Movie: I’m Dreaming of a Blue Sunset