Curiosity Rover: Beautiful Mars Panorama

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems/ composite by Errol Coder
click image to enlarge

On February 15, the Curiosity Rover (MSL) captured this Panorama of its current investigation location. This imaged was spliced together using 18 panoramic images captured by the Left Mast Cam on board the Mars Science Laboratory. In this image the filters have already been applied and color corrected on board the rover itself before being transmitted back to Earth. This view stretches from the NE at the edge of Mount Sharp to the NW along the crater rim.

Titan Flyby: Eclipsed

Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI / composite by Errol Coder
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The first images from Cassini are coming in from the flyby on February 16. These first images were taken approximately 173,902 miles (279,868 kilometers) away using the RED, GRN, BLU filters. It is the Methane filters that typically bring out the detail in atmosphere and surface. As Cassini flies by hopefully we will see those filters used to help bring out the detail. But,we can see right now is the Methane atmosphere coming in as blue along the edge of Saturn's larges moon. Once the new images are received, I will be processing them and posting. Look forward to some gorgeous images!

Saturn's Rings in all its Detail

Credit: NASA / JPL / SSI

Many of the images I process are captured using many of the filters that the Cassini has aboard. These images can be layered for the particular connected RGB colors, to bring forth some brilliant shots. This image is different. This is the original high res image captured on February 15th. This set of images were taken with the clear filters. Simply put, it is beautiful in itself. you can see great detail the separations in the rings.

The A-Ring is to the right of the Cassini Division, which is the separation you see to the ride side of the image with the B-Ring to the left of it.

Color Composite of Saturn's outer rings

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

On February 13, 2013 the Cassini spacecraft completed a flyby of Saturn's rings capturing a long series of images as it passed above it. In this image, using the RED, BLU, and GRN color filters a false color of the image was formed to show the detail int he different rings. The outer F-Ring (white) can be clearly seen with the large divide between it and the A-Ring.

Curiosity's first drive on Mars

This image was taken by Rear Hazcam: Left A (RHAZ_LEFT_A) onboard
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 16 (2012-08-22 14:25:05 UTC)
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
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On Sol 16, August 22, 2012 the Curiosity rover took its first short drive and made its first tracks on Mars in Gale Crater. This activity was to check out the roving functionality of the wheels prior to its long drive to Glenelg. It would appear that Curiosity has started to accumulate dust on its Left Rear Hazcam.

MER Opportunity Rover on the edge of Endeavour

After Opportunity's stay on Greeley Haven it had recently taken a short drive around the northern edge of Cape York and traversed across "Whim Creek" on Sol 3010. After reaching the northern tip of Cape York she continued around to its present position on August 20 "Sol 3048", just past the creek.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/Arizona State U/composite by Errol Coder
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These most recent images captured by the Pancam on Sol 3044 is a 6 image composite that points into Endeavour Crater showing the rim in the distance.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/Arizona State U
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This 2 image composite also using the Pancam shows a dimple and stone outcropping next to the Opportunity rover.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/Arizona State U
Traverse Map as of Sol 3044
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First Drive and ChemCam lasering of the Curiosity Mars Rover

This image was taken by ChemCam: Remote Micro-Imager (CHEMCAM_RMI)
onboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 13 (2012-08-19 11:14:22 UTC) .
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/composite by Errol Coder

Looks like we have our first use of the ChemCam. Today, August 19, Sol 13, Curiosity did a short drive to the rock "N165" recently named Coronation. The three images show over the period of firing at a location measuring 6mm. The ChemCam fires at the rock 30 times over 20 seconds. Right now we don't have any data regard the rocks composition.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRA

If you want details on the drive and the rock Coronation, check out my recent episode on PlanetaryTV.