The Opportunity rover tracks on Mars

admin — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 11:11:00 +0000

The route followed by NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during its exploration partway around the rim of Victoria Crater is marked on this map. The rover first reached the edge of the crater on it’s 951st Martian day, or sol (Sept. 26, 2006). This map shows travels through sol 1,215 (June 24, 2007). The underlying image is from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

NASA/JPL/Cornell/University of Arizona/Ohio State University

This image captured by NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows “Cape St. Vincent,” one of the many promontories that jut out from the walls of Victoria Crater, Mars. The material at the top of the promontory consists of loose, jumbled rock, then a bit further down into the crater, abruptly transitions to solid bedrock. This transition point is marked by a bright band of rock, visible around the entire crater.
Scientists say this bright band represents what used to be the surface of Mars before it was impacted to form Victoria Crater. As Opportunity begins to descend into the crater in early July 2007, it will examine the band carefully at an accessible location with a gentle slope. These investigations might help determine if the band’s brighter appearance is the result of ancient interactions with the Martian atmosphere.
This image was taken by Opportunity’s panoramic camera on sol 1167 (May 6, 2007). It is presented in approximately true color.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell

The Opportunity rover

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The Opportunity rover tracks on Mars