Friday, April 27, 2012

MER Mars Rover Opportunity Transversing the Southern Edge of Cape York

NASA / JPL / Cornell / panorama composite by Errol Coder
This is an enhanced color composite panorama from two separate images originally captured on Sol 2706/Sep 9, 2011, east of Spirit Point on the south end of "Cape York". This is processed using the L2 (Red), L5 (Green), and L7 (Blue) filters using the Panorama Camera (Pancam) attached to the Mars Rover Opportunity.
NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
This is an enhanced color composite also captured on Sol 2706 processed using the L257 using the Pancam.
NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder



The image to the left is a close-up image of the stone on the lower left middle of the image above. many of these fragments are common at crater sites.


NASA / JPL / Cornell / UoA

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Where is the Mars Opportunity Rover now?



For those of you frequenting this site, and viewing the images posted here, you might be asking where on Mars is the Opportunity rover? In knowing this information, it will help to appreciate the geography and landmarks you might be seeing in the images themselves. Not only will you know where you are, you can also understand the different features in the images themselves. I asked myself the same question. So in helping myself out, I will help you out. I hope you find this useful.
NASA / JPL / Cornell / M. Di Lorenzo / K. Kremer
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NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
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The primary surface mission for Opportunity was planned to last 90 sols. The mission has received several extensions and has been operating for 3014 days since landing. An archive of weekly updates on the rover's status can be found at the Opportunity Update Archive.

From its initial landing, by chance, into an impact crater amidst an otherwise generally flat plain, Opportunity has successfully investigated soil and rock samples and taken panoramic photos of its landing site.


NASA / JPL
First Navcam Image - Sol 1

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Its sampling allowed NASA scientists to make hypotheses concerning the presence of hematite and past presence of water on the surface of Mars. Following this, it was directed to travel across the surface of Mars to investigate another crater site, Endurance crater, which it investigated from June – December 2004. Subsequently, Opportunity examined the impact site of its own heat shield and discovered an intact meteorite, now known as Heat Shield Rock, on the surface of Mars.

From late April 2005 to early June of that year, Opportunity was perilously lodged in a sand dune, with several wheels buried in the sand. Over a six week period Earth-based physical simulations were performed to decide how best to extract the rover from its position without risking a permanent immobilization of the valuable vehicle. Successful maneuvering a few centimeters at a time eventually freed the rover, which resumed its travels.

Opportunity was directed to proceed in a southerly direction to Erebus crater, a large, shallow, partially buried crater and a stopover on the way south towards Victoria crater, between October 2005 and March 2006. It experienced some mechanical problems with its robotic arm.

NASA / JPL / composite by Errol Coder
Pancam - Victoria Crater

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In late September 2006, Opportunity reached Victoria crater and explored along the rim in a clockwise direction. In June 2007 it returned to Duck Bay, its original arrival point; in September 2007 it entered the crater to begin a detailed study. In August 2008, Opportunity left Victoria crater for Endeavor crater.

On 7 March 2009 (sol 1820) Opportunity first saw the rim of Endeavour after driving about 3.2 kilometers (2.0 mi) since it left Victoria in August 2008.Opportunity also saw Iazu crater which is about 38 kilometers (24 mi) away and is about 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) in diameter.

On 7 April 2009 (sol 1850) Opportunity generated 515 watt-hours after a cleaning event of the solar arrays increased energy production by about 40% From 16 to 22 April (sol 1859 to 1865) Opportunity made a series of drives and during that week traveled a total distance of 478 meters (1,568 ft) The drive actuator for the right front wheel, which had been rested while Opportunity studied a rock outcrop called "Penrhyn", had motor currents very close to normal levels.
NASA / JPL / Cornell
Block Island
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On 18 July 2009 (Sol 1950) a large dark rock was noted in the opposite direction from which Opportunity was traveling and so the rover headed towards it, reaching it on 28 July (Sol 1959). The rock turned out to be a meteorite and was named Block Island. Opportunity spent until 12 September 2009 (Sol 2004) investigating the meteorite, before returning to its journey towards Endeavour Crater.

Its journey was interrupted on Sol 2022 by the find of another meteorite, a 0.5 meter specimen dubbed 'Shelter Island' which the rover investigated until Sol 2034. It then headed for another meteorite, 'Mackinac Island', which it reached four sols later on Sol 2038 (17 October 2009). The rover conducted a drive-by imaging sequence but otherwise did not investigate this meteorite, resuming its journey to Endeavour.
NASA / JPL / Cornell /
color composite by Emily Lakdawalla
Marquette
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On 19 May 2010, Opportunity reached 2246 sols of operation, making it the longest Mars surface mission in history, breaking the record of 2245 sols set by Viking 1.

In July 2010, it was announced that the Opportunity team is using the theme of names given to places visited by British Royal Navy Captain, Lieutenant James Cook, in his 1769–1771 Pacific Ocean voyage in command of HMS Endeavour, for informal names of sites at Endeavour Crater. These currently include "Cape Tribulation" and "Cape Dromedary", "Cape Byron" (the most easterly point of the Australian mainland), and "Point Hicks" (the part of the Australian mainland first sighted by the Endeavour in 1770.)

On 8 September 2010, it was announced that Opportunity had reached the halfway point of the 19-kilometer journey between Victoria crater and Endeavour crater.

In November the rover spent a few days imaging a 20 meter crater called Intrepid while navigating through a field of small impact craters. On 14 November 2010 (Sol 2420) total odometry passed the 25 kilometer mark. Average solar array energy production in October and November was about 600 watt-hours
NASA / JPL / Cornell / panorama by Errol Coder
Pancam - Endeavour Crater at Point Spirit
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Opportunity arrived at Endeavour crater on 9 August 2011, at a landmark called Spirit Point named after its rover twin, after traversing 13 miles from Victoria crater, over a three year period.

Endeavour is 14 miles (23 km) wide and offers scientists new terrain to explore, including older rocks than encountered heretofore, and clay minerals that may have formed in the presence of water. The rover's deputy principal investigator, Ray Arvidson, said it will probably not enter Endeavour crater as it appears to contain material observed previously. The rocks on the rim are older than any previously studied by Opportunity. "I think there's much more interest in driving around the perimeter of the rim," said Arvidson.
NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
Pancam - Tisdale - Enhanced Color
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Upon arriving at Endeavour, Opportunity almost immediately began discovering Martian phenomena not previously observed. On Sol 2694 (22 August 2011) the rover began examining Tisdale 2, a large ejecta block. “This is different from any rock ever seen on Mars," said Steve Squyres, principal investigator for Opportunity at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. "It has a composition similar to some volcanic rocks, but there's much more zinc and bromine than we've typically seen. We are getting confirmation that reaching Endeavour really has given us the equivalent of a second landing site for Opportunity."
NASA / JPL / Cornell / M. Di Lorenzo / K. Kremer
click image to enlarge


In early December, Opportunity analyzed a formation dubbed 'Homestake,' which was concluded to be formed of gypsum. Using three of the rover's instruments - the Microsopic Imager, the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer and the Panoramic Camera's filters - researchers determined the deposit to be hydrated calcium sulfate, or gypsum, a mineral that does not occur except in the presence of water. This discovery was called "slam dunk" evidence that "water flowed through underground fractures in the rock."

Opportunity had driven more than 34 km (21 mi) by 22 November 2011 (sol 2783), as preparations were made for the coming Martian winter.
At the end of 2011 the rover was sited at a location called Greeley Haven, that tilted it about 15 degrees to the north, an angle that should provide more favorable solar energy production during the Martian winter. With dust in the air and on the solar arrays higher than in past years, this winter is expected to be more challenging.
NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
Pancam - Edge of Greeley Haven
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In January 2012 the rover returned data from Greeley Haven (named after Ronald Greeley) while enduring its 5th Martian winter and 8th Earth year on Mars It is being used to study Martian wind, which has been described as "the most active process on Mars today" and conduct a radio science experiment. By carefully measuring radio signals, wobbles in Martian rotation may show whether the planet has a solid or liquid interior. If the wind cleans dust off the solar panels, Opportunity will have more power during winter The winter worksite sits on the Cape York segment of the rim of Endeavour Crater. Opportunity reached the edge of this 14-mile-wide (22-kilometer-wide) crater in August after three years of driving from smaller Victoria Crater, which it studied for two years.
NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
Pancam - Hill just SW of Greeley
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On Sol 2852 (1 February 2012) the energy production from the solar array was 270 watt-hours, with a Mars atmospheric opacity (Tau) of 0.679, a solar array dust factor of 0.469, with total odometry at 21.35 miles (34.36137 km) By March (around Sol 2890), 'Amboy' rock was studied with the Mössbauer spectrometer and the Microscopic Imager, and the amount Argon gas in the Martian air was measured. The Mars winter solstice passed on 30 March 2012 (Sol 2909) and on 1 April there was small cleaning event On Sol 2913 (3 April 2012), solar array energy production was 321 watt-hours.

This is location that all the recent images are captured at. Currently the Opportunity team is conducting a survey of the surrounding landscape, and will remain here through the winter.

As of April 26, 2012, Opportunity remains positioned on the north end of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour Crater.




Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Enhanced Composite Images of Mars

Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
 Sol 2806|Dec 16, 2012 - Nearby Hill ridge
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Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
 Sol 2876|Feb 26, 2012 - Edge of crater and Solar panel
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Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
Sol 2881|Mar 2, 2012  - Crater edge and nearby dunes
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Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
 Sol 2880|Mar 1, 2012 - Crater edge/Low-Gain Antenna
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Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
Sol 2804 | Dec 14, 2011 - TRUE Color L456 Filter
For quite a number of Martian Sols "days", the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been roaming the Endeavor crater conducting Panorama surveys and checking nearby outcropping. These composite images are considered "enhanced", and are done by four images, using the L2,5,7 filters. These are different then TRUE color shots, which use the L456 filters to try and capture the more realistic color of mars. ENHANCED images are used to help bring out geological detail in the landscape. In these images the sky appears blue, and it could be mistaken for a valley in the Utah, or elsewhere in the United States red desert. But, in act the sky of Mars is white.

As you can see from the image on the bottom left, the colors are more subdued and a whiter sky. Using True color composites, you can get an image closer to the what humans may see on Mars.

Color Composite of Saturn using Methane filters

Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI / composite by Errol Coder
The Cassini spacecraft takes numerous images of the Saturn system, including the moons, Saturn's rings, and the planet itself using a camera with two filter wheels. In this image we are edge on with Saturn's rings, you are viewing Saturn where the Sun is positioned just above its rings, and you see them silhouetted onto the surface of Saturn's atmosphere.

The narrower ring is called the narrow ring is the A-ring, the narrow gap is the Cassini division, and the wider ring is the B ring. The C-ring lies beyond the B-ring, but is too faint to be captured in this image. There is also the vary narrow F-ring on the outer edge of Saturn's rings, just beyond the A-ring that also can not be seen. See that white dot on the far left of the ring? Guess what? That is perhaps the moon Enceladus which Cassini is little over 6 days from doing a fly-by of.

This a composite of images taken using Cassini's BL1, MT2 "methane", and MT3 "methane" filters. These methane filters are using Infra-red light. This is considered to be a false color image as we are seeing Saturn using the Methane filters. This allows us to see the atmosphere in detail. You can see the great variation in color contrast between the white, light orange, and darker orange material. What stands out for me is Saturn's rings. We are seeing it edge on. But, using these filters, it comes out as a bright blue, rather then a similar coloring to Saturn's atmosphere. This may be due to the excess of ice, methane and other material in the rings.

CD Glasses Anaglyph of Martian Surface



Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
click image to enlarge

Got a pair of Red and Blue 3D glasses? Throw a pair on and look at this beautiful image of the Red planet. This is a view near the Endeavor crater on Mars where Opportunity is currently surveying. Using the L2 "Left" and R2 "Right" filters of the MER Rover Opportunity Pancam captured on Sol 2892/March 13, 2012. While no color correction has been made for this image, it can make for a nice treat. Let us know your experience with this 3D image.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Opportunity Rover Track Mosaic

Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / panorama by Errol Coder
click image to enlarge

Using the Pancam aboard the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, the science team took an 11 image sequence showing the path Oppy traveled from when it was on the edge of the Endeavor crater. As you can see it did not move in a straight line changing its position as if doing donuts in the martian surface as it investigates different locations and objects of interest. As of Sol 2932, Opportunity is still stationary conducting numerous panorama, including the above, and checking out nearby rocks with its Microscopic Imager.

Titan Color Composites using UV2 filters

Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI / composite by Errol Coder
This is an Ultra-Violet composite image of Titan using the UV3, BL1, and CB1 filters. You can note the green patches of land revealed through the orange atmosphere. What is prominent in this image is the indigo colored atmosphere, and the greenish "hood" on the northern pole.

Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI / composite by Errol Coder
Using UV2, BL1, and CB2 filters, less prominent then the first image, in this one the greenish surface is more visible, but the blue atmosphere is not as strong. The green hood is still quite visible at the top.

Saturn's moon Iapetus passes behind Rhea

NASA / JPL / SSI / animation by Errol Coder
On April 20, 2012, Cassini captured a series of Wide Angle images of Saturn's moon Rhea. In this animation of 25 individual images, Iapetus (back) passes behind Rhea (front) as it moves around in its orbit of Saturn. The camera was pointing toward RHEA at approximately 1,792,407 kilometers away, and the image was taken using the BL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA Planetary Data System in 2013.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Mars Rover Opportunity Checking out its Surroundings Sol 2926 - April 17, 2012

Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder

 This turned into an unsual color composite. Using filters L2, L6, and L7, we get a false color images of tracks in the surface. It shows how the treads distrube the top soil, revealing the reddish Mars tent beneath. In reality he ground does not have the blue ting to it, but is rather a black/dark brown. 
In this image processing, many of the brighter areas also take on the blue hue, including the small stone near the treads, and the outcropping of Basalt minteral you see on the lower left. The basalt you see is quit similar to the rocky outcroppings you might see on Earth's moon. In this view the Pancam is looking nearly directing behind the Rover.




Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
What you see here is the Pancam looking down at the bottom edge of one of the Solar Array, and an engineering access panel below it. The color here takes a a more redder hue then in reality, but helps to show the differences between the gathered soil on the array and equipment, and the darker surface of the rover itself.
Filters L2, L5, and L7




Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder

Just above the rover in respect to the above image on the upper edge of the Solar array, you find the Sun Dial, with the four color calibration pallets on the four corners. They are used to calibrate the Pancam prior to any Panorama image capture.

Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
Using filters L2, L5, and L7 we see a composite looking forward on the Opportunity Rover with the Pancam looking down at its articulating arm. The device at the end of it is the Micro Imager. In this image you can see a contrast between on Sol 2904 the different hues of the red soil as well as the darker more blackish material frequently found on the surface

Mars Rover Opportunity Pancam Sol 2928 - April 19, 2012

Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
In this image captured on Sol 2928 on April 19, 2012, using the same L2, L5, and L7 color filters, Opportunity looks to its left with its Pancam and captures its own tracks. Viewing the treads, you can see how fine the martial soil is.


MER Opportunity Panorama Sol 2907 - Apr 19, 2012

NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
click image to enlarge
Here is another false color image using Opportunities PanCam using the L2, L5, and L7 filters. In this one you can see a bit more lighter reddish streaks in respect to the darker under soil. You can also see the darker "ditch" going from the top left to the bottom right of the shot. This is a great example of parts of Mars where the darker lower soil is revealed creating almost a "stream bed" looking area. This is sometimes caused by soil drifts removing the lighter top soil of the side of the crevice revealing the under soil.

MER Opportunity Panorama Sol 1709 - Nov 14, 2008

Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
click image to enlarge
This false color panorama of the martian landscape is taken with the MER Rover Opportunities Panorama Camera using filters L2, L5, and L7 to give this realistic color composite. You can see the variation in the martian surface, and the separation between the darker soil and oxidized red surface common with Mars. You may notice that in this composite, the sky appears bluish. This is simply an artifact of the image process. In reality the sky is closer to a white. Much like Earth's desert, you can see how the Martian surface in this view has dunes, built up by the winds. Just like on Earth, the landscape can change overnight when the wind blows by.

MER Opportunity Sun Dial Sol 2929 - Apr 21, 2012

Credit: NASA / JPL / Cornell / composite by Errol Coder
click image to enlarge
This is a false color image of the sun dial on the Opportunity Rover from Sol 2929 captured on April 21, 2012. If you noticed, at the edge of each of the corners of the dial there appears to be different colored swatches. The top right is yellow, top left green, bottom right blue, and bottom left red. These are used to calibrate the Panorama Camera for any forthcoming Panorama images. Unfortunately, there had been no quality Pan images taken that day to show you.

As you can see, the martial soil is red, the basalt rocks give off a dark bluish tint, which in reality is simply a darker color. The martial soil seems to have blown up onto the rover as you can see the soil all over the sundial and surrounding hardware.

Welcome to Celestial Imaging

The imagery we receive from the number of space exploration probes, rovers, and other technology sends back beautiful images of objects and scenery. Celestial Imaging processes these raw images received from such technology as the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, Mars Phoenix Lander, and Cassini-Solstice, and future missions including, Curiosity the Mars Science Laboratory rover, soon to land on Mars in August 2012. This blog is intended to bring these beautiful images to the public. This is a personal imaging site for images processed by Errol Coder. They will later be contributed to the vast image gallery of the Planetary Society, as well as for peer review at UnmannedSpaceflight.com

A lot of work goes into making these images as true to life, and interesting for those wishing to see the beauty in our solar system.