Our first good look through the gap:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2016-09-02/1N526080151EFFCSIWP1992R0M1.JPG?sol4482
Beat me to it, fredk! This is the start of a whole new adventure - and a new thread, methinks.
Phil
And according to http://nmnaturalhistory.org/space-science/rover-field-reports-mars, we are headed eastwards, ie straight downslope, after threading the gap.
Sol 4483 Lpancam. Reminds me of Lindbergh mound.
https://flic.kr/p/KTHW3b
This is the best map I could find, but ends just where we want to see where we are going. Can anyone link a better wide view map, or one with an elevation grid?
http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/tm-opportunity/opportunity-sol4430.html has contours and extends a ways south and east of Marathon. (We should move this to the new thread.) [MOD: DONE.]
Sol 4484 Lpancam view of Plymouth II and Wharton Ridge:
https://flic.kr/p/LHVC8j
Thanks fredk, the official route map is great. However, I don't see any difference in the slope of the two valleys. So does anyone understand why we couldn't go down Marathon valley to the bottom and we can this new valley?
My take on this is that we could go down Marathon Valley, but then we could not come back up in order to go down this other valley, which is what we want to do for science reasons.
My impression - without a direct link to the mission team - is that the rover will not go all the way to the bottom until it reaches the gulley area. Where we are now the valleys slope down until they reach areas with too much loose debris on them, making a climb back up very uncertain. So they can go up and down as targets present themselves, to a certain point but not beyond.
Phil
I hope this doesn't qualify as spam...but here is a delicious 3D model of the area;
https://skfb.ly/P8E9
http://imgur.com/l70gZV8
Wharton Ridge... do we know where the name comes from? I'm thinking it may commemorate Robert A. Wharton of the Desert Research Institute in Reno, Nevada, who died on 19 September 2012. He conducted research on Antarctic ice-covered lakes with similarities to possible environments on early Mars.
Phil
Sol 4500 !!! - and another drive, bringing us close to the little hill whose name is still not released yet. Map update this evening.
Images are http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/all/opportunity.html, not yet on Midnight Planets.
Phil
Sol 4500 navcam view of Spirit Mound:
https://flic.kr/p/MmDStn
Sol 4502 Lnavcam. Moving closer to Spirit Mound:
https://flic.kr/p/LyjRHG
Sols 4502-4504 Lpancam view of Spirit Mound:
https://flic.kr/p/MpCWaf
http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04505/1N528123176EFFCT60P1673R0M1.html in lower right suggest consistent upslope winds here, wondering if that is generally true on both sides of the rim, as i was under the impression that the wind pattern over the crater is west>east on a high level which id assumed would also tend to effect that at ground level as well, but i guess not being a meteorologist i was surprised by this, so am just guessing its still on the mains a general west>east flow but the air is instead getting pulled up the rim under a vortex effect imparted by the intervening crater rim to that flow, or perhaps its just rising up due to ground heating and following the contours up the rim..?
on another note that http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04506/1P528210174EFFCT60P2355L2M1.html just behind the boulder on sol4506 turns out to be part of the ridge, not a background feature (parellel view)
Given the complexity of the topography here, it's not really possible to guess a local prevailing wind direction from a regional upper-level wind direction. In the floor of Endeavour below us, the large field of light-toned drifts suggest north-south winds, approximately.
Phil
the topography is fun . a small area cropped out of the Hirise stereo pair
-- just the current location and a EARLY run of ASP
http://imgbox.com/S41rjy1R http://imgbox.com/fnKBOo66 http://imgbox.com/bqfYXQeF http://imgbox.com/KMjvvWUM
a couple rotated MI anaglyphs of... (Council Bluffs? Gasconade? http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=40209 from http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04512/1M528743081EFFCT62P2956M2M1.html
It's Gasconade.
Phil
Here is an update on the Oppy arena...
https://skfb.ly/TXqM
A sketch of future plans from the latest http://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/space-missions/mer-updates/2016/09-mer-update-opportunity-exits-marathon-valley.html
Still trying to get a handle on where exactly we are going... perhaps the area rectangled (with adjacent processed inset) in the google earth extract below may be the assumed gulley that fredk pointed out early on, if it's enough on the Byron side, and it does seem to be the only feature that fits the description to my untrained eye, if that all pans out the arrows may identify the bench of the presumed Matijevic Formation.
Yes, I think that is the gully.
Phil
Interesting.
How come Oppy gets to go near potential sources of moisture, but Curiosity must be rerouted to avoid them?
The features near MSL bear some resemblence to recurring slope lineae (RSL), dark streaks that appear and reappear and that might be related to current water.
If the gully near Oppy was carved by water, it was probably in the very distant past - I haven't heard anyone suggest water was still present. The Oppy gully isn't an RSL.
It's almost as if the gulley near Oppy had to have been exhumed, it just looks too surficial to be that ancient, perhaps what we see is just a lingering remnant of its once lower reaches, though I have no idea if we know how deep these slopes have been eroded over the eons.
Check this out... MEPAG presentation from yesterday's meeting, with Opportunity's future route mapped out.
Phil
http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/meeting/2016-10/03Meyer_MarsScience.pdf
Opportunity's Navcam view from Spirit Mound.
https://flic.kr/p/M2B4yF
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43581439@N08/29554211963/sizes/k/
http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04522/1M529634221EFFCTA4P2936M2M1.html rotated MI anaglyph and snippet in parellel:
From the tracking site.
pancam_EDM_test_L6R2
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/2016-10-13/1P529630996EFFCTA4P2671L6M1.JPG
Looks like the MER team is getting ready to attempt to image Schiaparelli's descent.
Good luck on the Imaging attempt, and good luck to the Schiaparelli team!
Since Oppy is on the inner west rim of the crater though, the best view would be if the trajectory overshot the centre of the landing ellipse and ended up far to the east; if the targeting is perfect than ironically the slope will block the view (see http://www.leonarddavid.com/europe-readies-mars-lander-for-october-touchdown/) . And obviously the MER team has its own mission which doesn't involve doubling back to the other side of the valley for the sake of one 1 pixel. Don't expect anything like the cover of the Martian Chronicles..
Am I right in thinking that the landing ellipse for Insight at Meridiani Planum is roughly the same as that for Schiaparelli? Oppy may therefore be able to take a photo of Insight landing in 2 Year's time.
No, not at all. Insight is heading for an area north of Gale crater, half a world away from Meridiani Planum, and too far north for Curiosity to see it.
Phil
Here's the difference of each 4528 pancam frame from their mean, then stretched and smoothed:
The 1x3 SW Ridge mosaic from 4535.
https://flic.kr/p/MDybxF
I have been assembling the Spirit Mound mosaic that it has been taking. Here is a preview GIF of it.
http://nmnaturalhistory.org/space-science/rover-field-reports-mars
New field report from Mars!
Phil
The scene to the South on Sol-4534.
https://flic.kr/p/NG5uxm
False color:
https://flic.kr/p/NKkb4P
The view to the Northwest from Spirit Mound, Sol-4542.
https://flic.kr/p/NQYfZh
False Color:
https://flic.kr/p/MWnQDG
James, where did you find these images? There is nothing on Midnight Planets for sol 4542, and the MER raw image page doesn't have them either.
They're available at the merpublic site:
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/images/images_sol4542.json
There are other images missing from the jpl and exploratorium sites - they missed 4536 and 4537 eg but those images are at the merpublic site.
This site was discussed http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=8058&st=231&p=230616&#entry230616
Opportunity is doing great explorations and there are lots of images on the Exploratorium site. Thanks James for recent image mosaics. Opportunity should get at lest some of the love mostly going to Curiosity.
To comply with Floyd's wish, here is the sol 4556 pre-drive Lpancam panorama:
https://flic.kr/p/PiyVnq
And here is the Lpancam post-drive view (sol 4556):
https://flic.kr/p/P9acnu
Thanks charborob! Like Spirit Mound, Pompy's Tower looks very white with the standard pancam filter. See James Sorenson's image above in post #44.
Lots of rocks beyond Pompy's tower, in combination with the slope I suspect they will need to watch the tilt closely as Oppy drives across that.
This is a crop from James Sorenson's earlier post showing the view to the north from Spirit Mound:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43581439@N08/30746579826/
I just noticed that this little bit right at the edge of the mosaic shows Cape York peeking round the shoulder of Cape Tribulation:
http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04559/1F532919735EFFCTNUP1211L0M1.html
Right through the boulder field!
Phil
Two Lpancam views on sol 4558:
https://flic.kr/p/PvMepk
https://flic.kr/p/NgeLbq
A quicky thrown-together crude Lnavcam panorama on sol 4561:
https://flic.kr/p/PvMp4a
(Almost ashamed to post this. )
Don't be!
Phil
you do know there are flat field calibration files for the pancam
but for the navcam ???
and you mean sol 4561 and not 4661
a quick mask for the left navcam "raw'ish" jpg's
the 8 bit mask
http://imgbox.com/IfylR2tz
copy past it onto the jpg
then in gimp set it to 33% transparent and use the "grain merge" layer blend
http://imgbox.com/2OGrcfdW http://imgbox.com/ILmIp6Ts http://imgbox.com/COtqob3y http://imgbox.com/pQTdpLBc http://imgbox.com/xorK8fYK http://imgbox.com/C1znCutn
Sol 4562 Lpancam (filter2) view of Pompy's Tower:
https://flic.kr/p/Nhskqw
Thanks for that nice stitch. I tried to put the http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04561/1N533090319EFFCTNUP1980L0M1.html boulder field into perspective and had to settle for a two image join in ICE to limit the bad seams. stitch anaglyph plus simple crosseye of a portion.
Beautiful work guy's!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving for those of us in the USA.
https://flic.kr/p/NZfiEG
Excellent work as usual James... any news on whether the horizon will be filled out in due course?
More images just came down for this mosaic of the ground around Pompys Tower and our wheel tracks that we left during the last drive. I likely won't get to those today. Will most likely release a final version shortly after we leave this area just incase more are taken before hand.
I am really impressed with Oppy's Sol-4564 down-link. 80 images down, I haven't seen that many down in a single sol for quite awhile, Since Sol-4006...A sign that Oppy is testing in flash? Or just a great down-link while still in RAM mode? time will tell.
My final version of the Pompy's Tower mosaic.
https://flic.kr/p/NoohzJ
False color
https://flic.kr/p/PsQDn8
Sol 4571 Rpancam:
https://flic.kr/p/Ph9zFu
Sol 4576 Lpancam:
https://flic.kr/p/NLK7r2
Looks like a easy drive ahead for Opportunity in post #70, but is somewhat frightening when you tilt the image correctly as in #69. To the left is a true Slippery Slope.
I don't come here often, so, here the last panoramic I did (Sol 4562)
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/opportunity-2016.html#1
And terrific work James
Nice stitch Ant103, always love to see your work, as Sarah Winchester said, keep building!
Looking at Phil's http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=40515, it seems we can see over the first ridge now, so im trying to get a handle on the path ahead so unless I'm mistaken it looks like we cannot yet see the http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=40232 in the http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04582/1N534958045EFFCT1DP1984R0M1.html as i suspect its still out of view behind the second ridge to the right in the direction of the arrow in the below crosseye.
Thank you Damia, very nice job as well, as always!!
We sure miss your work here, I certainly do.
Question James : where did you get the Sol 4563 pancam pictures to complete the previous Sol pan ?
I found nothing on both MER website, Exploratorium and Midnight Planets.
Thanks
They're available at the merpublic site:
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/images/images_sol4563.json
This site was discussed http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=8058&st=231&p=230616&#entry230616
Okay, I get it Thanks !
I didn't saw this discussion because it was during my kind of break of imagery processing, especially with Oppy's datas.
The public JSON server. That is the most reliable and fast server that I have found.
http://json.jpl.nasa.gov/data.json
I use the JSON plug-in for mozilla, but chrome has the same plugin. I then use the DownThemAll plugin to link follow and download the images.
I'm on Opera, but I found some Json plugin to display url as clickable links.
Sol 4584 Navcam pan also (updated with next sol imagery)
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/opportunity-2016.html#2
Wow, beautiful view... and thanks to this link:
http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/space-science/rover-field-reports-mars
(Larry Crumpler's latest field report) we see that this valley has a name: Willamette Valley. Soon to appear in a map near you.
Phil
Oppy's Navcam left mosaic, Sol 4587
https://flic.kr/p/P5BDzU
Extended sky & foreground patches.
...updated with CG Oppy
https://flic.kr/p/QiZiVL
Sol 4587 Lpancam:
https://flic.kr/p/QbKwfR
Sol 4586-4587 Navcam L+R mosaic
https://flic.kr/p/Qc7Mdz
Extended sky & foreground patches.
My panoramics today. One navcam corresponding of Sol 4586 & 4587 :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2016/Sol4586_4587_pano.jpg
And one Pancam of Mount Jefferson, Sol 4587 :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2016/Sol4587_pancam.jpg
Great work Sean and Damia. Might do my take on on the new Pancam's and Navcams after work.
Sol 4588 Navcam pan :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2016/Sol4588_pano.jpg
Rough, uncorrected sol 4589 Lnavcam panorama:
https://flic.kr/p/P9TnFd
My take, same Sol
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2016/Sol4589_pano.jpg
And updated with Sol 4590 Navcams :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2016/Sol4589_4590_pano.jpg
I missed that we dug in a bit on 4589:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/2016-12-21/1F535578082EFFCUB1P1212R0M1.JPG?sol4589
A short drive back downhill and we're free on 4591:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/2016-12-23/1F535752839EFFCUB7P1212R0M1.JPG?sol4591
Interesting, as I had interpreted that as the deliberate creation of a trench to provide something to study over the holiday period. But maybe it was an accident as you say. And maybe a spot of serendipity.
Phil
Sol 4593 Navcam pan. Looks like Christmas day was a busy day for Oppy ^^
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2016/Sol4593_pano.jpg
Thanks a lot Fred : here are the 3-D images for Sols 4589 and 4591 showing one of the trenches dug by the wheels
Sol 4599 Lpancam:
https://flic.kr/p/Pv9FfG
And an anaglyph to go with it.
The bunkers are done, and once the fairways and greens are in, the real estate prices are going to rocket around here.
Trouble getting up the hill, or just a spot of light excavation work?
A color mosaic to start the year (a terrestrial year, I know ^^)
Sol 4602 pancam :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4602_pancam.jpg
Sol 4607 Lnavcam post-drive view:
https://flic.kr/p/PQzYgv
And a Lpancam view:
https://flic.kr/p/R1Pepf
Looks like another serendipitious discovery, just like Spirit at Silica Valley.
We had some images of what is probably Phobos on the evening of sol 4612. Here I've tried to isolate the stars, by registering and averaging the two differences of two similarly exposed frames (with stretches and Gaussian smoothing):
It's Deimos (from tweets by Mike Seibert, and the file descriptions on Midnight Planets).
Phil
Thanks, Phil. I'm out of practice with the moons - it should've been obvious. Phobos has marked "retrograde" motion, while Deimos is nearly synchronous, and this bright object is in nearly the same position in each frame (hence the good subtraction).
Regardless of moon identity, it is an impressive effort Fred.
and the navcam T-shirt view on Sol 4614-4616.
Jan van Driel
Thanks, Jan. It's not easy to get a good result from reprojecting panoramas taken on a steep slope, at least the way I do it, but this is Jan's panorama from sols 4611-4612 in circular form, so you can see the approximate layout of the terrain here.
Phil
The Navcam L0 Panoramic view on Sol 4618-4619.
Jan van Driel
Almost at the peak!
Bunch of panoramic today
Sol 4612
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4612_pano.jpg
Sol 4619
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4619_pano.jpg
Sol 4623
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4623_pano.jpg
Thank you Damia, it is great to see where we are headed out-and also looking back down the valley.
Yeah I found the view quite impressive there.
Sol 4624 :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4624_pano.jpg
Sol 4625 :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4625_pano.jpg
Sol 4625 Lpancam view:
https://flic.kr/p/QjnFPE
It's been awhile since I've posted anything. Here is the Mount Jefferson pancam mosaic.
https://flic.kr/p/Rs4kU6
False Color:
https://flic.kr/p/R4oKQG
Sol 4628 Navcam pan :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4628_pano.jpg
Context view using HiRISE elevation & RGB data
https://flic.kr/p/R8UDSq
I used Photoshop to push the palette towards James' comp.
And here is a flyby of Oppy on Sol 4626 covering the western rim of Endeavour...
Click thru to see the video
https://flic.kr/p/RtUgoE
And finally some hires shots featuring Oppy in situ on Sol 4626...
https://flic.kr/p/RHFe6P
https://flic.kr/p/QtVPqc
https://flic.kr/p/Qrbi5S
https://flic.kr/p/RwRCEK
https://flic.kr/p/RE7j2A
https://flic.kr/p/RwRAHt
Those context shots are great Sean. Thank you.
very nice, thanks sean! here are anaglyph and small cross-eye assembled by ripping off a couple of those perspectives (reduce, reuse, recycle!).
Tighter version of Oppy Sol 4626 Flyby.
Click thru to see the video...
https://flic.kr/p/Qv4nda
Added atmosphere.
Great work Sean!
I just had to work on this lovely set of Navcam images as we exit out of this area.
https://flic.kr/p/RkgXQG
Sol 4635 Navcam pan :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4628_pano.jpg
The Sol-4638 Pancam's of the exit point.
https://flic.kr/p/RNMCHH
Falsecolor
https://flic.kr/p/RNMCAt
crosseye&anaglyph from rotated MI pair http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04638/1M539936731EFFCVRPP2936M2M1.html
Sol 4637 Navcam pan :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4637_pano.jpg
A little Navcam Selfie on Sol-4640, and as Phil mentioned, we should be on the rim.
https://flic.kr/p/S3DQa6
According to my 3D model on 4640 position Oppy is still to reach the crest of the hill as I can't see beyond the rise on the left. Should see horizon to the right though.
Will be interesting to see how that tallies with the next batch of Navcams.
If by "right" you meant "north", it looks like you're right:
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/ops/ops/surface/tactical/sol/4641/opgs/edr/ncam/1N540199115EFFCW00P1985R0M_.JPG
And panoramic of the site, Sol 4640 and 4641. We can assume that we have reached the crest. Even if there still a few meters to accomplish
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4640_4641_pano.jpg
The Sol-4640-4641 Navcam mosaic.
https://flic.kr/p/QMWEwS
I miss these views from the rim. This one's really spectacular:
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/ops/ops/surface/tactical/sol/4641/opgs/edr/ncam/1N540201100EFFCW00P1976R0M_.JPG
Fiewww Fredk Gorgeous view there ! I could update the panoramic (see previous post).
I'm updating my version as well. Stunning view!
https://flic.kr/p/S28SRf
EDIT:
My new Desktop background.
https://flic.kr/p/S5M7Nv
Full Resolution
1920x1080
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43581439@N08/32871907305/sizes/o/
That is a beautiful sight!
Phil
Here is a screenshot preview GIF that I made lastnight of the "Rocheport" pan that Oppy started taking.
My go at Rocheport:
A Navcam view across Endeavour on sol 4653:
http://www.midnightplanets.com/data/MERBRawJPG/04653/1N541262308EFFCW00P1983R0M1.JPG
Below the horizon (looking north here) there seems to be a large dust-raising wind gust event in progress. Typically, views of this area are much clearer, for instance on sol 4637.
Phil
I think you're right, Phil. At first I thought it was just the increase in tau (we've shot up from around 0.8 where we've been for a while to 1.1 on 4653) but that does look like a gust - huge at that distance.
So they were in the same position for a few weeks to get a large color panorama. I assume some of you wizards are working on it? Even a preview would be great.
Another jump in tau, to 1.56, on 4654. The change from yesterday is obvious by comparing these pancam views:
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/ops/ops/surface/tactical/sol/4652/opgs/edr/pcam/1P541171056ESFCW00P2359L5M_.JPG
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/ops/ops/surface/tactical/sol/4654/opgs/edr/pcam/1P541348873ESFCW00P2361L5M_.JPG
They were taken at very similar local times, two sols apart.
Likely we're seeing localized storm activity, not unusual for this time of year.
The Navcam L Panoramic view on Sol 4640-4641-4653.
Jan van Driel
With a drive of just over a meter, that marked the end of acquiring frames for the "Rocheport" Panorama.
https://flic.kr/p/RUVuYb
False Color version:
https://flic.kr/p/SuKXc4
This Rocheport panoramic is a mess, so I gave up on the stitching work. You did good James
The last Navcam panoramic updated with some Navcam imagery of Sol 4653. And yes, I was wondering if this is a dust event we are seeing on the horizon on the right part of the pano.
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4640_4641_4653_pano.jpg
From the new http://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/space-missions/mer-updates/2017/02-mer-update-opportunity-reaches-endeavour-rim.html
Nice to have a change of scenery! This is the first time we've seen Iazu in a while. Even with the high tau you can make it out on the left side of this frame:
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/ops/ops/surface/tactical/sol/4660/opgs/edr/pcam/1P541883557EFFCWD1P2364R2M_.JPG
Very nice scenery there, with a two-Sols Navcam panoramic, on Sols 4660 & 4661 :
http://www.db-prods.net/marsroversimages/Opportunity/2017/Sol4660_4661_pano.jpg
Marvellous.... that's why we all come to this forum after a decade....
Circular version of Damia's panorama.
Phil
Wonderful guys!
My jab at the vista.
https://flic.kr/p/SGSQRn
Link to multiple resolutions:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43581439@N08/33280418175/sizes/l
As a TPS Member, I hope that the rover team will make a quick stop at the highest peak nearby to have a spectacular 360° global view of the horizon to help our EPO activities on Earth
I hope so too, although most or all of the horizon features more distant than Iazu are likely to be obscured by dust.
I hope so to, but I find doing a full 360 color panorama is pretty slim to none given Oppy's flash situation and would take roughly a month to do in current RAM mode. That's a whole month of sitting still when she could be driving and a month closer to the gully. I do hope a smaller color pan is taken somewhere along the way, like at the point you suggested.
Brief update to http://nmnaturalhistory.org/space-science/rover-field-reports-mars for sol4662 describing the path over the rim and those dusty gusts. I had to slap myself (yet again): "..14th year of operations..."
Stunning view!
Here's my best guess as to what we're seeing. Matching colours match:
fwiw, a few stereo outtakes on the http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04665/1P542335475EFFCWJ7P2370L2M1.html perspective compared with simulated views generated using Sean's https://sketchfab.com/models/9ebce444859d4b8c81fb005aa5503446 and another closer-up view from the sky to the left of fredk's blue circle
I'm happy with fredk's yellow line, but beyond that, it seems we must use a bit grander scale to get features matched. From this several years old anaglyph (the respective view in reduced size), it looks like the peculiar ledge on the opposite Cape (is it called Cape Byron?) is akin to the white-headed feature in pancams. It is obvious that we should expect to see that Cape before being able to peek into the rather deep valley in between. The fresh dark crater is aligned with our destination gully along the lowest topography of the valley (thus being hidden by the local rim). Also the gully itself would appear rather subdued in relief until we practically drive on top of it. -Just my two cents as they say.
Yeah, the feature I'd circled green would appear far larger than that.
Here are my corrected identifications:
Sol 4665 looks pretty bad too.
http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04665/1N542334713EFFCWJ7P1987L0M1.html
Phil
Jan's last full panorama in circular form. It exaggerates the nearby summit to almost Everest-like proportions - sorry, Olivier, I don't think we'll be scrambling up that! Of course, if we do, it will just look like a little bump from the top.
Phil
The complete Navcam L0 view on Sol 4665-4667.
Jan van Driel
A circular view of Jan's panorama showing us passing Olivier's 'mound' (sorry about that, Olivier... maybe next time).
Phil
As always a fantastic work, Olivier.
By the way, congratulations for your impressive work in the last release of "Ciel & Espace" !
The complete view stitched from images taken on Sol 4665 and Sol 4668.
Jan van Driel
It took more than 13 years, but it finally happened, and it happened on my watch. Today I had the pleasure of sequencing a drive with Doug Ellison in the room. I wish all of you UMSF-ers could be part of it. Well, you are, but you know what I mean.
Paolo
Congratulations Doug you make it!
As member 682, I'll have to wait quite a bit more 😀
I guess Oppy will still be around
What do you mean "you guess"? ;-)
Paolo
I KNEW the drive felt particularly UMSF today. Great job, Paolo!
Coming full circle; congrats Doug!
Is is safe to say that this is the first time a mission ever lasted long enough for enthusiasts to end up on the mission team? (Maybe Voyager?)
Bah, I expect Martian colonists to watch Opportunity roll past their windows!
Congrats Doug, and thanks again for creating this awesome space.
It seems the air is clearing enough for spying distant features once more. On the horizon just left of centre here is what I take to be part of Bopolu - please correct me if I'm wrong. http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2017-03-21/1N543400368EFFCX00P0703L0M1.JPG
EDIT: On further examination I think it's too far south for Bopolu, so maybe it's the top of charborob's hill, first noted here - http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=34597
are we are headed for that very interesting feature on the left?
Couple other forums saying some sort of mineral deposit. Don't think we have seen anything like that yet, looks like a solid slab of some sorts wonder what that is? Cant wait to get there. I was able to find it on HIRISE, it is notably different color.
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/2017-03-21/1P543400679EFFCX00P2377R2M1.JPG
Here is Jan's most recent panorama in circular form, showing how we crossed the outcrop area.
Regarding that bright flat-topped hill... most places like that turn out to be just patches of bright dust. There was a small one immediately south of the exit point a couple of weeks back. They look intriguing but they are not really very significant. If it's a major mineral feature CRISM would probably have resolved it and we would know about it. It's not on the projected path so the science team don't regard it as significant.
Phil
We can now see the "fresh crater" that was originally on the planned route - the dark "splash" just past the near slope at right middle frame:
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/ops/ops/surface/tactical/sol/4678/opgs/edr/pcam/1P543489349EFFCX00P2377R2M_.JPG
We've got our first look at Perseverance with the 4679 navcams - here I've matched features:
Beat me to it, Fred! Here's my attempt. Same result. of course.
Phil
And the pancam closeup, with the route into the gully indicated with arrows:
nice! finally in view http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04679/1P543566695EFFCXAPP2378R2M1.html! there's not enough parallax in the far view for much of an anaglyph, but gives a bit o perspective to the hill were about to descend.
Impressive view looking down towards Perseverance, in anaglyph:
Here is a context shot with Oppy at Sol 4679...
https://flic.kr/p/S2GCuF
...the white speck centre, top right
And the view from Oppy...
*not sure if my previous edit of this post was moderated or I erred in posting, but I include the second image again in case of the latter.
Opportunity's solar panels look like wings of a squirrel suit, but do you think they will be any good for base jumping? The 3-D view sort of takes your breath away. Not sure the panels will provide enough lift unless we get a real gust.
I understand now why the original route goes (also) near the fresh crater, steepless route.
Yup - you can set tilt limits (that would get triggered early off a cliff) - every drive gets those. If AutoNav is on, it would see something like that as a hazard and stop - depending on what parameters you gave it.
I think this was simply a blind drive to the edge of the previous NavCam mesh though. That's what usually gets you the most bang per buck (meters per Whr)
D
Thw Navcam L0 panoramic view on Sol 4686-4687.
Jan van Driel
Jan's panorama reprojected to show the view down the slope.
Phil
Sol 4690 in color...
A nice late afternoon view with long shadows. Enjoy
Beautiful! Great job.
Wonderful Oliver!
Here is my version's
https://flic.kr/p/ToEJoH
False color:
https://flic.kr/p/TmgZYQ
There is a whiter elevation near the crater Ridge. Is it interesting? Is it an impact remnant or is it related to a geological difference?
It is likely just a mound of bright oxide dust, maybe with some of the flat sulfate rock that we see all over as well. At this point, it doesn't look all that interesting. Some pancam super-res imaging of it occurred on Sol-4691 for a better look at it.
Will not compare to PDS images, but here the pancam stack of the mound. Minor detail increase, but more detail should be brought out in the Non-JPEG images.
The Navcam L0 Panoramic view on Sol 4691-4692.
Jan van Driel
anaglyph of http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04697/1M545179047EFFCXSTP2936M2M1.html MI stitch and a couple of fun or frustrating wide baseline crosseys of the whitecap taken from sols 4679/4678/4690
Sol 4688 (left) to Sol 4695 (right) of Opportunity's mission on Mars...
We have just roved down the cape towards Perseverance Valley where the rover will explore a gully.
See the change of the perspective ! Enjoy
The Sol-4697 1x4 pancam mosaic.
https://flic.kr/p/SzvHng
False color
https://flic.kr/p/SwMy6s
Thanks a lot James for this nice work !
Here is the same interesting outcrop taken by Opportunity on her Sol 4699 : rocks put into perspective ! (with the non 3-D pic also). Enjoy
The Sol-4703 Pancam mosaic of the ground in front of us. The bedrock appears to have a slight greenish tint to it that I hadn't noticed at other locations. Looks interesting!
False color
https://flic.kr/p/SH1sZ9
A front Hazcam from 4702 for pancam context
https://flic.kr/p/SH1roU
Very nice, James!
the RAT has been used here for the first time in a long time. I think I'm right in saying that the RAT brush was last used on sol 4412 and the RAT grinder on sol 4370. There's not much life left in the grinding head, so it's used very sparingly. This must have seemed like a very significant target.
Phil
It seems Oppy found a perfect http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04703/1P545706790EFFCXT6P2399L5M1.html a couple sols ago (hint: its not the big one) nonetheless she decided to leave it undisturbed and RAT elewhere, anag/para/xeye. http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04705/1P545879104ESFCXT8P2575L6M1.html whats http://prettycleverfilms.com/files/2013/11/Fantastic-Planet-Creature.jpg?
Love these views of the tracks - hope to see a colour version...
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/2017-04-21/1P546058571EFFCY00P2404L5M1.JPG?sol4707
Reminds me of Spirit's journey down Husband Hill. Downhill is always easier, even on Mars!
My versions of the 4707 pancam mosaic.
https://flic.kr/p/SUGAaV
False color
https://flic.kr/p/U9mLHi
L7 filter enhancement crop of the tracks
https://flic.kr/p/SUGAst
Will new crater get a look, or straight to Perseverance Valley?
i might be wrong but assume this http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04711/1P546407888EFFCYIWP2408L2M1.html image of the downslope corresponds to the top of our entry point. some other nice views of late from http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04712/1N546508614EFFCYIWP1826L0M1.html and http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04713/1P546598045EFFCYIWP2580R2M1.html in anaglyph and trimmed crosseye form..
Just to clarify is Opportunity on way to those Gully like features?
Yes, Perseverance Valley is tbe gully like feature that Oppy is going to. Very close now.
Here is Jan's new panorama in circular form. We are right beside the little crater Orion. The even smaller crater (pit) Mariner 4 is just to the SW of the rover.
Phil
... and a circular version of it. Thanks! That small crater just north of us is visible in HiRISE. (EDIT - it's called Casper. Orion and Casper were the Apollo 16 LM and CSM respectively.) One more drive and we'll be on the rim. Maybe two drives to allow for some careful positioning right on the edge.
Phil
Phobos transit visible in these 4719 pancams, even though the public jpegs are clipped:
Think we really need to visit that slab. it could be exposed Carbon ice.Gypsum..or whatever.. it seems rigid in place and not eroding on par with the crater and it seems linked on the Hirise Image to an interesting surface feature that may even be related to the gully
Its brightness is very noticeable.
What do you guys think? I can't recall seeing a feature like this on that scale
"I can't recall seeing a feature like this on that scale"
Look back 1000 sols to the images on this page:
http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/sol/03749.html
(Wdowiak Ridge, sol 3749)
The geologists who run the mission have not noted this as anything especially unusual. I personally think it's just the same as lots of other lumps and bumps seen along the crater rim. There are much more compelling reasons to go down into the crater again, where broad areas of outcrop downhill from the 'gully' will be explored later.
This is Jan's half-panorama from sol 4720 in a circular projection. It makes the slopes look much steeper than they really are. I would anticipate a drive out onto that spur just to the north of us (top of the image) to get a better look across the slope and into the valley.
Phil
It's unlikely to be ice now, but there may have been ice there sometime in the past. Note the potential remnant of a melt area to the west of the feature.
My very first post.
I am wondering. Why there is no talk of going upstream, west, of Perseverance Valley, for a bit.
If I were there, I'd check out that wash - upper stream bed source first very carefully, before committing myself to going over a thousand foot edge.
From what I can tell by the most basic Google Mars, the upper stream bed starts at a very small crater no more than a couple 100m west of the edge.
Add that new crater towards SW, and those bright white ring craters further on. A football field away or two all of them.
.
It just seems like there is not going to be an inspection of the headwaters, before going over the falls.
Been here every day, since 2009. Just now speaking up. This is the best website ever!
. . . . . . . Caso
Opportunity has accumulated a decades worth of wavelength / albedo correlations encompassing sedimentary deposits, dust and Endeavour's Noachian deposits. I suspect that they have a pretty good idea as to the composition of the Winnemucca bright area. Given the environment we can be certain that it is not CO2 or water ice.
My very first post.
I am wondering. Why there is no talk of going upstream, west, of Perseverance Valley, for a bit.
If I were there, I'd check out that wash - upper stream bed source, first very carefully, before committing myself to going over a thousand foot edge.
From what I can tell by the most basic Google Mars, the upper stream bed starts at a very small crater no more than a couple 100m west of the edge.
Add that new crater towards SW, and those bright white ring craters further on. A couple football field away or three all of them.
.
It just seems like there is not going to be an inspection of the headwaters, before going over the falls.
Been here every day, since 2009. Just now speaking up. This is the best website ever!
. . . . . . . Caso
The TPS report also says this:
More Phobos transits on 4720 and 4721. These are easier to see in the public jpegs because there's a dimmer internal reflection of the sun that isn't clipped:
"My very first post.
I am wondering. Why there is no talk of going upstream, west, of Perseverance Valley, for a bit. "
Hi David - the little valley is thought to be very old, certainly if it was formed by water. So the real headwaters, if there were any on the surface, would have been buried by the 'Burns Formation' sandstones (as we saw in Victoria crater and all through those plains), and if not then certainly buried under the modern sand dunes (tsk - I mean ripples) which we see all over the plains west of the current position. And there might not have been headwaters as such anyway, the water could have flowed out of an aquifer where the crater wall cut through it, or it could have been fed by melting snow. So, probably nothing to see. Anyway, it seems they are eager to get into the valley after doing some stereo mapping.
Phil
Jan's full panorama in circular form. Those linear rows of little stones are intriguing.
Phil
Indeed it has been. Superb work, Doug.
Sol 4723 Lpancam view:
https://flic.kr/p/UmYGAy
MER Sol 4730 NL
https://flic.kr/p/UfxL4j
Quick & dirty hand stitch with extended sky and some wobbly exposure seam repair.
Sol 4731 Lpancam:
https://flic.kr/p/UESKjn
The channel being ancient as it is would have accumulated a lot of dust and therefore I presume that the rover is going to have a difficult time to reach any minerals which would have been deposited by the water which formed the channel.
Hmm, I wonder if they are going to ask to drag our feet while down the ramp? Sort of a Spirit driving technique?
Paolo
dragging the wheel sounds like a great idea, subsurface deposits hiding just under our feet..
Below is an attempted match-up (i may be way off) of features from http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=681&view=findpost&p=235792 and http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=8237&view=findpost&p=235798 those great works I recycled here rather than afflict the mess i stitched. The inset crosseye details a signifficant trough in the gully (green line)..
It would be interesting to have an idea as to how much original material has been eroded from the rim, as my recurring (and absolutely amateur) impression of the gully is it is more of a remnant of some fairly recent and short-lived Milankovitch cycle snowpack (catastrophic melt?) type of feature rather than a Hesperian era surface or hydrothermal emplaced creek.
An eposter that provides an easy read summary of Endeavour including assessed erosion levels is here: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2015/eposter/2017.pdf
The spherule lag deposits on the plains imply that there has been only a few metres of erosion of the fragile sedimentary deposits since the Meridiani water table dropped around 3.5My, so preservation of remnants of an early gully seems quite reasonable following desiccation of the environment. Prior to that with a near surface water table at Victoria crater and the permeable sedimentary deposits there must have been a plentiful water supply at Endeavour.
The Pancam L2 Panoramic view on Sol 4721-4729.
Jan van Driel
Evidence of a DD or gust between sols 4730 and 4733 - note the new dark streak:
Here is a little bump for my VR ready Sketchfab models covering Oppy's location.
Click thru each image to see...
Marathon Valley, Endeavour Crater
https://skfb.ly/P8E9
Beyond Lewis & Clark Gap
https://skfb.ly/TXqM
I've updated VR starting location in each as well as improved clipping planes.
Gorgeous view back towards Cape Tribulation on Sol 4743! My attempt at an approximate true color version of this mosaic.
https://flic.kr/p/V1rTQb
My take.
https://flic.kr/p/V1A9wu
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