This
image shows a "bite mark" where NASA's Curiosity rover scooped up some
Martian soil. The first scoop sample was taken from the "Rocknest" patch
of dust and sand on Oct. 7, 2012, the 61st sol, or Martian day, of
operations. A third scoop sample was collected on Oct. 15, or Sol 69,
and deposited into the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument on
Oct. 17, or Sol 71.
This image was taken by Curiosity's Mast
Camera. Scientists enhanced the color in this version to show the
Martian scene as it would appear under lighting conditions on Earth,
which helps in analyzing the terrain.
During the two-year prime
mission of the Mars Science Laboratory Project, researchers are using
Curiosity's 10 instruments to investigate whether areas in Gale Crater
ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.
Image Credit: NASA
No comments:
Post a Comment