Sometimes, even rovers on Mars stop
to admire the scenery. Just late last November the Curiosity rover on Mars paused
to photograph its impressive
surroundings. One thing to admire, straight ahead, was Central Butte, an
unusual flat hill studied
by Curiosity just a few days before this image was taken. To its right was
distant Mount Sharp, the
five-kilometer central peak of entire Gale crater, the
interior of which Curiosity is exploring. Mount Sharp, covered in sulfates,
appears quite bright in this colorized,
red-filtered image. To the far left, shrouded in a very dark shadow, was
the south slope of Vera Rubin ridge, an
elevation explored previously by Curiosity. Between the ridge
and butte were tracks left by Curiosity’s wheels as they
rolled forward, out of the scene. In the image foreground is, of course,
humanity’s current eyes on Mars: the complex robotic rover Curiosity itself.
Later this year, if all goes well, NASA will
have another rover —
and more eyes — on Mars. Today you can help determine the
name of this rover yourself, but tomorrow is the last day to cast
your vote.
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