Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

Rxke · 2005-08-25 08:30:19

Heehee, Cindy, I had Stu in mind when I changed the Avatar!

But, i really have grown to kinda like the little sundial, honest!
Now, when using Midnight Mars Browser, it loads *all* images that come down, so also the sundial, and... I always look at them!
because the dust buildup on and around it is pretty interesting... Of course manually browsing through the pictures would put me squarely in Stu's camp, now using the 'sit back and let the browser download it for you MMB, it's yet another datapoint.

downside is I exceeded my monthly download limit by letting MMB download older sol imagery in the background.

(EDIT:) Ah, yes: that jan 04 (here at least) was my best birthday in eons!

REB · 2005-08-25 11:52:59

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … 65L6M1.JPG Look at the upper right. Spirit's lander or parachute?

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … 66L2M1.JPG Look at the top center. Bonneville crater?

Rember this view; http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … R1_br2.jpg Wishing we were over in those hills. Now we are at the top of one (We as in Spirit, of course).

aldo12xu · 2005-08-25 12:51:57

I've created a page that identifies points on the horizon in Spirit rover panoramas and ties them in to landmarks on orbital images. For instance, that crater that REB pointed out is actually to the north. But the coolest news is that we can actually see Ma'adim Valles from the sol 583 panorama that was created by NIX at http://www.awalkonmars.com/.

So, please check out my homepage below, click on the Gusev Horizon photo and then after that you can click on any photo to enlarge it.

Cheers,
Aldo.

Rxke · 2005-08-25 12:57:37

I already did! (following the discussions on unmannedspaceflight)

VERY nice stuff, huge thumbs up, aldo!

REB · 2005-08-25 13:18:38

I have been head deep in .net code, so I have not had time to map out where things are in relation to Spirit. I am glad someone is. Good work!

So where should bwe look for the lander, parachute and Bonneville crater from Spirit's current position. They should be visible..

Also, if we were currently standing at this spot http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … R1_br2.jpg what would Spirit look like up on the hill? Would it be little more than a dot?

Palomar · 2005-08-26 05:20:14

News briefing

*Scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 1st, beginning @ 1:00 p.m. EDT. And I do like that photo.

--Cindy

REB · 2005-08-30 06:35:51

Cindy, I know you like dunes. Check out this one up close;
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … 71L2M1.JPG

Palomar · 2005-08-30 07:44:46

Cindy, I know you like dunes. Check out this one up close;
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/ … 71L2M1.JPG

*Nice. Such jagged, sharp rocks in the foreground. Almost as good as actually being there.

The sand must be extremely fine, like gypsum sand. The sand in this portion of the Chihuahuan Desert is whisper-fine; that's what I imagine the sand in those dunes to be like.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2005-08-31 15:18:59

On top of spa-gheeeeet-iiii, all covered with cheese....

*Whoops, ha ha ha. I meant on top of Husband Hill. Spirit's odometry is 3.00 miles. It's currently at the crest of HH; the area is described as moderately flat and rather easy to navigate (good news). Spirit's been given no time to rest, however. It's being busied taking 360 degree full-color panoramic images, which will take 4 Sols to complete. That'll be awesome; can't wait.

--Cindy

SpaceNut · 2005-09-02 09:25:00

Tennessee Valley mini-panorama was taken by NASA's Spirit rover on martian day, or sol, 582 (August 23, 2005), just as the rover finally completed its intrepid climb up Husband Hill.

Fantastic view

Palomar · 2005-09-02 09:35:48

Tennessee Valley mini-panorama was taken by NASA's Spirit rover on martian day, or sol, 582 (August 23, 2005), just as the rover finally completed its intrepid climb up Husband Hill.
Fantastic view

*Arrgh, my eyes. :x :shock: Had to really turn up my monitor's contrast and brightness. Nice. Looks like there's an area of lighter soil way in the distance, just to the left (and abutting onto) the 2nd most distant (very distant) tall hill. I wonder if it's a large patch of lighter-colored sand? Who knows of course...just wondering "aloud."

Way to go, Spirit. Have been anticipating TN Valley for quite a while.

--Cindy

MacAndrew · 2005-09-02 18:05:24

Palomar, I was wondering whether you have seen this. Maybe not 100% accurate, but gorgeous. Just in the very unlikely case you haven't seen it yet...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/ … nMoons.jpg

MacAndrew · 2005-09-02 18:43:30

Though everyone is probably well aware of that, I find it my duty to add that I found the above picture in this forum:

http://www.markcarey.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt- … 21&show=20

Julius Caeser · 2005-09-03 01:52:58

I believe the constellation we're seeing there is that of Taurus,with the 7 sisters cluster clearly visible.I'm impressed at the clarity of the night pic.I wonder if the moonlight is real thou! :rolleyes:Orion is higher up to the right of Taurus and amazing how the Orion nebula{in red }is clearly visible!!!

Palomar · 2005-09-03 05:18:19

Palomar, I was wondering whether you have seen this. Maybe not 100% accurate, but gorgeous. Just in the very unlikely case you haven't seen it yet...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/ … nMoons.jpg

*Hi, welcome to New Mars. No, I hadn't seen it yet -- though I've seen a similar photo recently IIRC (so much to keep track of). Julius Caesar is correct: That's Taurus and the Pleiades -- though upside down.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2005-09-07 10:28:40

The View from Husband Hill

*Scroll to your heart's content. Astropix always does a very fine job of hosting images and this is one of the better.

The hills in the distance are so enticing. It's strange to realize again that such a large planet and "right next door" has never had a human footprint upon it.

--Cindy

SpaceNut · 2005-09-08 09:46:13

Some of what is needed to be known has been garnard by Spirit, Oportunity and by the Mars express. So much more will be needed in the years to come.
The Missing Martian Carbonates

Seems like mars is a very sulfur oreinted planet at this time.

Stu · 2005-09-10 09:14:04

Hi guys,

Glad my make-believe image of Phobos and Deimos shining above Gusev went down well...

Here's another - the view from Meridiani on Christmas Day. From the bottom - Mercury, Venus, Jupiter - and Earth... :shock:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/cumbriansky/xmas-day-small-b.jpg[/img]

Stu · 2005-09-10 09:18:03

Try that again...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/ … mall-b.jpg

Palomar · 2005-09-11 18:35:22

*Stu -- hi, glad to see you again. Don't be a stranger.

Moons of Mars

An animation from Spirit of Deimos and Phobos!

An animation has been produced showing both Martian moons -- Deimos on the left and Phobos on the right – as they travel across the night sky in front of the constellation Sagittarius. Part of Sagittarius resembles an upside-down teapot. Phobos is the brighter object on the right; Deimos is on the left.
Spirit acquired the enhanced-brightness images with its panoramic camera on the night of August 26, 2005.

Terrific.

Also released is a sequence of images of Mars' largest moon, Phobos.

Another use of this nighttime imagery is to look for the presence of nighttime clouds or haze.
The ability of Spirit to become a nighttime skywatcher on Mars is the rover's extra solar energy collected during the day.

--Cindy

aldo12xu · 2005-09-12 14:07:39

I just completed a summary of what we know of the layered volcanic rocks and outcrops at Columbia Hills. It sort of tries to put a few things in perspective. Hopefully NASA's upcoming observations from the Husband Hill summit will give them a good structural model for the Hills so we can tie everything together.

Just click on the "Layered Volcanics" link on my homepage.

PS: Stu's "make believe" photos of Phobos and Deimos are great. There was one he did with the Milky Way as viewed from Husband Hill that was pretty cool.

C M Edwards · 2005-09-13 10:20:20

What on Mars did this?

Notice the circular formations in the lower part of the picture? There are more of them in other panoramas from sol 578.

I have no idea what that is. It does not appear to be a crater - the rock at the bottom isn't nearly fractured enough. Nor is it immediately obvious that it's some sort of outgassing. Outgassing through bedrock would leave dust deposits between vent cracks and these things look nearly dust free.

I am stumped. 8)

Palomar · 2005-09-13 10:30:46

What on Mars did this?
Notice the circular formations in the lower part of the picture? There are more of them in other panoramas from sol 578.
I have no idea what that is. It does not appear to be a crater - the rock at the bottom isn't nearly fractured enough. Nor is it immediately obvious that it's some sort of outgassing. Outgassing through bedrock would leave dust deposits between vent cracks and these things look nearly dust free.
I am stumped. 8)

*Wish it were a color pic. The ridges/ripples are what initially caught my eye. I wonder if those "circular formations" wouldn't appear more oblong if we could see them from above. I haven't a suggestion as to their cause.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2005-09-19 06:47:33

Update on Spirit

*Continues observations on "Husband Hill." As we know from returned animations/images, some time was spent with Spirit observing and photographing Deimos and Phobos.

Also this week, Spirit performed two tests to validate the ability to send commands to Spirit via the Mars Odyssey orbiter through the rover's UHF (ultra-high frequency) radio. Downlink through the Odyssey UHF relay has been the principal means for getting data from Spirit.

Mentions targets named "Irvine" and "Putative Dike."

--Cindy

Palomar · 2005-09-20 04:12:24

Oppy update

*Is in good health. Is still heading for Erebus Crater. They're driving Oppy as often as possible.

The last two sols this week have been remote sensing only, due to a lack of critical data.

On Sol 582 Oppy reached the Erebus Highway.

--Cindy

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#251 2005-08-25 08:30:19

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#252 2005-08-25 11:52:59

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#253 2005-08-25 12:51:57

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#254 2005-08-25 12:57:37

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#255 2005-08-25 13:18:38

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#256 2005-08-26 05:20:14

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#257 2005-08-30 06:35:51

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#258 2005-08-30 07:44:46

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#259 2005-08-31 15:18:59

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#260 2005-09-02 09:25:00

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#261 2005-09-02 09:35:48

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#262 2005-09-02 18:05:24

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#263 2005-09-02 18:43:30

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#264 2005-09-03 01:52:58

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#265 2005-09-03 05:18:19

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#266 2005-09-07 10:28:40

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#267 2005-09-08 09:46:13

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#268 2005-09-10 09:14:04

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#269 2005-09-10 09:18:03

Re: Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)

#270 2005-09-11 18:35:22

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#271 2005-09-12 14:07:39

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#272 2005-09-13 10:20:20

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#273 2005-09-13 10:30:46

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#274 2005-09-19 06:47:33

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#275 2005-09-20 04:12:24

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