It looks like we had a pretty good drive on 4078 roughly to the east (or NE) and now have a better view down into Marathon Valley:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2015-07-15/1N490218075EFFCNRYP1965R0M1.JPG?sol4078
(Yes, we are still paying attention, Oppy!)
At first glance the sand in Marathon Valley looks treacherous.
...though not collected in a depression, but randomly astrewn as if a blob of lava or obsidian tossed down from SSL..
My first guess would be a stony meteorite with a nice thick fusion crust. Odd looking thing.
Could be quite fresh if that's what it is.
First Panoramic view into Marathon Valley with the Left Navcam on Sol 4078.
Jan van Driel
One more wonderful panorama Jan. It remember me when we came from volcanoes in Chile and you come down to the Atacama Plateau. Very peaceful and quiet.
And by the way, you put Sol "1048" in the panorama. Did we come back in time?
Lovely view openning up after the 4079 drive to the east:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/rear_hazcam/2015-07-16/1R490309115EFFCNU5P1312R0M1.JPG?sol4079
I think we're seeing Argos along the right edge of that frame, and the large light-toned ridge above centre is the feature to the lower left of the "Marathon Valley" label in Phil's map.
Cruzeiro do Sul
you are right. I missed that completely.
Here is the correct one, especially for you.
Jan van Driel
This view needs an Ennio Morricone theme! Thanks all for the disseminating and image processing.
NavCam anaglyph from Sol 4081, into the valley indeed. It's like looking across the sands into 'The Wash' in North Norfolk, only I can't tell if the tide is going out or coming in.
Here is a nice calm soundtrack to take us into this tranquill looking valley. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXVhh7TKgcA (Listen to the soundtrack while looking at the view)
Version 2 of Nav Cams 4079.... a bit better. I didn't like my first version! ……Hᴜɢʜ….ツ
Some Pancams from 4082 looking up at the steep rocky north edge of Marathon Valley.
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=69
James
A difficult escape from a bunker into Marathon Valley, here on day three of 'The Open' (Or Sol 4082 for non golfists)
Here's to hoping the team considers the scientific value of nudging a candidate http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04081/1N490486620EFFCNXKP1825R0M1.html on its way down the slope!
More images for the pan of the North Wall on sol 4083:
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=69
It looks like a windy place. We will probably have some solar panel cleaning soon...
If they decide to try atomoids' suggestion (#18) it won't be the solar panels that need cleaning, it will be the seating panels back here on Earth!
I've had the morning off work because of a bad cold so I thought I'd relax and take up the challenge of making a colourized pic of out the NavCams of Sol 4081.……Hᴜɢʜ….ツ
Added 1 image ( Right one, Sol 4082 ) to the Sol 4081 view.
Jan van Driel
sloppy anglyph looking down the smectite valley http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04086/1N490923225EFFCNY9P1604R0M1.html
another view of sol 4083
https://flic.kr/p/woMR8P
The Navcam R0 panoramic view taken on Sol 4086 and Sol 4087.
Jan van Driel
Late afternoon in Marathon Valley, nice.
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=77
Wow. That is stunning.
A nice view out onto the crater floor from our position on Sol 4090
It mosaics with another frame from 4087:
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=79
My version of the 4092 rock survey:
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=81
Microscopic Imager mosaic of the brushed spot.
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=84
Tentative plan for the explortion of Marathon Valley, from http://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/space-missions/mer-updates/2015/07-mer-update-opportunity-enters-marathon-valley.html
They should call that view of the rocks on the slope "Rush Hour at Marathon Valley" - nothing is moving but you sure get a sense of movement.
Very filmic this spot. Someone should shoot a western here.
Sol 4104 L pancam view. Gives you an idea of the steepness of the slope.
(I leave it to more talented people to produce the color image.)
Here's that slope again.
Oops - I thought the previous one was an anaglyph because it has coloured fringes on the skyline. Anyway both are much appreciated.
Now that's exactly what I meant by somebody else making a better job of it!!
PanCam views of the other wall (North facing I believe) of Marathon valley on Sol 4108
Very nice! Can anyone shed light on whether these are depositional layers, parallel erosion surfaces or something else?
Mosaic sol 1408
https://flic.kr/p/wt16qk
and HazCam in color, left and right, sol 4107 (using the variations of light as filters)
https://flic.kr/p/xv7wt3
yes nice treatment! the parellel slightly exceeds my interpupilary distance on my monitor, making that one challenging but i am finding that its indeed possible to train the eyes to diverge unnaturally. Here are a crosseye and anaglyph of the brushing (09 CCW rotated).
It looks like we may be heading into those boulders next, according to http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/rover-field-reports-from-mars.html
..Crumpler curiously calls them "dark float rocks", or perhaps that's just a parcel of geologic nomenclature.. i'm inferring they haven't yet definitively spotted smectite from pancam data and are relying on low res orbital data and best hunches to pick the prospective targets to get a profile.. here's Larry's rendering in native resolution:
"Float" is a term for rocks that have broken from their source rock, so they're no longer in place; they lack context (except that they probably originated upslope). Geologists prefer to analyze bedrock rather than float when they can, but the rovers are often forced to look at float rocks rather than outcrop higher up because of terrain trafficability issues. What they do try to do is find float that hasn't traveled far, where you can see the scar that it left behind on the outcrop so you be reasonably sure you know its initial position and orientation.
I was surprised to see that the area of smectite detection by CRISM shown in Crumpler's blog encompasses the floor of the valley almost to the exclusion of the bordering layers of bedrock. But maybe the resolution is such that a distinction cannot be made and the outline around the valley floor is misleading if taken as a hard fact.
Larry Crumpler's field reports are always very informative but this one excels in the amount of information in the illustrations. We even have the angles of dip in the foliations within the rocks in view. Foliation, if I'm not msitaken, is a word for layers in rocks where it seems unlikely that they're sedimentary layers.
Opportunity is still alive and exploring Marathon Valley. Seems like UMSF has sort of ignored her for the past two weeks.
The monthly report by A.J.S. Rayl came out 9/3 http://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/space-missions/mer-updates/2015/08-mer-update-opportunity-digs-marathon-valley-walkabout.html
there are some interesting MI images coming down http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04133/1F495105307EFFCO97P1110L0M1.html having apparent views of http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04133/1M495103974EFFCO97P2956M2M1.html http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04133/1M495104042EFFCO97P2955M2M1.html and http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04133/1M495105031EFFCO97P2956M2M1.html http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04133/1M495104962EFFCO97P2935M2M1.html, that when rotated 90CW work as stereo
Just been catching up on what Oppy was up to while I was on holiday. Here is the view of the Northwest wall from a week or two back.
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=86
From above, Sols 4132,34,37,38 but extended left a bit. Not the greatest quality, but heh!!
The Navcam L panorama stitched together from images taken on Sol 4132-4138.
Almost complete. With a little gap.
Jan van Driel
Mosaic looking downhill at the floor of Marathon Valley from 4140:
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=88
A great look across Endeavour Crater which just about overlaps with the mosaic of Marathon Valley floor from a couple of sols back.
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=92
This is part of the valley floor mosaic I'm working on. Control is from HiRISE, details from reprojected panoramas. You get a sense of the complicated patterns in the bedrock here. This covers all the recent activities over sols 4081-4152.
Phil
The Navcam L 0 panoramic view on Sol 4147-4149.
Jan van Driel
This is a circular view - a bit distorted by the slope and my efforts to overcome that - of Jan's pan from sols 4147-4149. The pattern of outcrops shows up quite well.
Phil
and the L0 panoramic view ( 9 images ) on Sol 4155.
Jan van Driel
nice view http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04159/1N497413581EFFCOJOP1953R0M1.html cant resist a couple anaglyphs
Some nice Pancams from the last couple of sols.
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=96
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=96
and the Navcam L0 view on Sol 4159 and 4161 stitched together.
Jan van Driel
Pancam mosaic looking back uphill.
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=98
MOD NOTE: 10 posts directly or indirectly related to politics--including mine--removed in accordance with rule 1.2.
We're just not gonna do this.
That's a shame, those ten posts were filling in a three day image gap !
ok then, heres something new: http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04175/1M498826412EFFCONGP2936M2M1.html MIs have just enough overlap to do a parellel stereo
Sol 4136
https://flic.kr/p/zeZCja
Sol 4144
https://flic.kr/p/A9zRch
Sols 4282-4183 LPancam view:
Realised that I hadn't posted my version of that here.
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=104
Horizon made flat on purpose.
Wonderful as always James
I haven't made a mosaic in awhile from Oppy, here is my version.
https://flic.kr/p/zMtFHy
Whats down from Sol-4154.
https://flic.kr/p/AzYyMShttps://flic.kr/p/zVyxc7
My version of the Sol 4140-4141 Mosaic.
https://flic.kr/p/ASwrK1
Fantastic work James! Awe-inspiring....
Thank you.
Sol 4098-4122
https://flic.kr/p/AYdM8V
https://flic.kr/p/Ajgqg2
Opportunity moved on sol 4200. Notice the shadow of the rim on the crater floor on http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04200/1N501056509EFFCOOZP1685L0M1.html.
Yes! I don't remember seeing a shadow before. Maybe there have been images which I just overlooked.
Phil
There was sol 2847 with some lovely views such as this one, which shows an "opposition surge" at the anti-solar point:
http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/all/1/p/2847/1P380945762EFFBR43P2445L2M1.JPG
There were some lovely colour mosaics made, see the old thread starting around http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=7131&view=findpost&p=182549
I agree the new 4200 navcams are stunning. And I suspect we can see the opposition surge again in this frame:
http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/all/1/n/4200/1N501056509EFFCOOZP1685R0M1.JPG
though someone should check the azimuths.
i really liked the ones in shadow from sol4200 but sol4201 are even better. ICE chokes horribly on the righthand R image for some reason, so here's anaglyph of the other two pairs
Speaking of shadows, note the one on the left here.
http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04200/1F501055697EFFCOOZP1211L0M1.html
A little gif of the scene change at Marathon Valley as the shadows creep.
Sol 4209 pancam anaglyph:
wildespace, it is very obvious, in your image, that the streak results from a "mini-landslide" of fine-grained material. On the other hand, in the Opportunity image, the streak seems to originate from the rock. There doesn't seem to be a source of fine-grained material nearby to account for it (not obvious to me, anyway). I hope we will get a closer look soon.
It looks to me like there's a source above one of the streaks, circled:
A.J.S Rayl has released another report on Opportunity.
http://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/space-missions/mer-updates/2015/11-mer-update-opportunity-climbs-to-treasure-trove.html
Sol 4215-4217 Lpancam montage:
I updated my montage with the images that just came down.
Sol 4215-4221 Lpancam:
Here is my version of 'Private Richard Windsor'
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=109
Another A.J.S Rayl update provides a good start to Opportunity's new year in Marathon Valley.
http://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/space-missions/mer-updates/2015/12-mer-update-12th-anniversary.html
Knudsen
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=113
http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04259/1F506291195EFFCOTZP1143R0M1.html anaglpyhs of 'Left' and 'Right' side separately, as i cant get ICE to competently stitch the 360 seam.
Amazing that the RAT is still sharp all these years after landing (though I do recall that the Meridiani rocks are much softer than those Spirit encountered, so perhaps not)!
Patch of dark soil near us imaged on 4262:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/2016-01-20/1P506556429ESFCOU1P2509L5M1.JPG?sol4262
I think it was material dropped from a wheel. You can see it as far back as 4223 where you can see tracks near by (at 11:00 from the dark streak):
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2015-12-11/1N503086405EFFCOQYP1981R0M1.JPG?sol4223
At the 4200-4205 location we were sitting with our RF wheel very close to the dark streak:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/2015-11-18/1F501135770EFFCOOZP1211R0M1.JPG?sol4201
I'm guessing that's the wheel it came from.
MI closeups of the dropped soil tosol:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/micro_imager/2016-01-21/1M506644028EFFCOU1P2956M2M1.JPG?sol4263
I forgot to add: To prove this was dumped by a wheel we should have images of that area before we first drove there on 4200. I looked but couldn't find any...
interesting http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04263/1M506645066EFFCOU1P2956M2M1.html appearance on the surface of that likely dumped sand, though i dont recall seeing it in other dumped sands, perhaps a 'settling' effect not yet erased by wind action?
A look in the rear view mirror seems to indicate that Oppy churned up a bit of dirt in transit so fredk's hypothesis of a wheel dump looks pretty good.
http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/all/1/r/4262/1R506559901EFFCOU1P1311R0M1.JPG
Just a hint: Today is Oppy twelfth! landing day 2004/01/25 - 2016/01/25... and no one celebrates ?
So: Oppy, best wishes from the earth! And just keep driving for the next twelve years! (This means 2028...)
Thanks for reminding me! its becoming routine passing such remarkably incredible milestones in this Oppy thread!!
speaking of stones.. very clear pictures last couple sols, here are anaglyphs lookiing down the hill on http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04266/1N506912722EFFCP00P1643R0M1.html and a closeup of that little prominent stone turret on http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04267/1P507003049EFFCP00P2387R2M1.html.
NW_ridge mosaic
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=115
MI mosaic of Joseph Collin with colour from Pancam image.
Wider anaglyph view of the sol 4267 pancams:
http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04270/1N507266155EFFCP70P1977R0M1.html navcams, it must be a good place here to maximize cleaning events, as erosion on the 'stair-step' set of rocks in the middle can attest, almost resembling a little cloudburst rivulet having cleared a path as it coursed down along the rock seams..
Panorama taken with NavCam Left on sol 4271 at Knudsen Ridge, 15h05 local time. The sky was extended on Gimp.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/105035663@N07/24730098856/sizes/o/
http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04274/1P507621726EFFCP70P2390R2M1.html pano stitch anaglyph
Closeup on Knudsen Ridge
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=119
My versions.
https://flic.kr/p/CMoLXM
https://flic.kr/p/DGtcNL
https://flic.kr/p/CMtA9T
After a bit of a hiatus - which had me a bit concerned, I must say - Larry Crumpler's latest Field Report From Mars is posted here:
http://nmnaturalhistory.org/space-science/rover-field-reports-mars
I like the way it begins:
"The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is still exploring Mars."
I would modify that slightly:
"The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is still exploring Mars."
Phil
Thanks for checking his page, ive been missing those.. He mentions "Opportunity will be leaving the valley [http://nmnaturalhistory.org/sites/default/files/img/1453219494_10479-1_sol_4256_4261_P2386_P2544_NW_Ridge_color_L257_full.jpg] in this direction at the end of the winter."
So unless im turned around, it sounds like the plan is to go back up top (rather than continue down into the crater) ...perhaps to continue south along the ridge? anyone know if plans exist at this point?
<<<urp!! wrong thread.. meant to go in "Marathon Valley" of course>>> - Moved - Mod
From the captions: "Opportunity will be leaving the valley in this [western] direction at the end of winter". The possibility floated of going further down the slope is obviously no longer on the table so where to now? How do you top completing a marathon?
A couple new pancam images just came down for the Knudsen Ridge Pan. I'm really liking this place! Here is a false-color along with a false color overlaid onto a Navcam mosaic for context.
https://flic.kr/p/DNhmQP
https://flic.kr/p/CQTvaD
The view from Knudsen Ridge. https://flic.kr/p/DqJLzB
Watching time pass by on Mars.
Another false color preview of the Knudsen Ridge mosaic overlaid onto the Navcam pan.
https://flic.kr/p/DYkXiX
Thanks James. Opportunity doesn't receive much attention of late despite the amazing view and your regular images are much appreciated.
https://flic.kr/p/DCke68
Knudsen Ridge!
https://flic.kr/p/EbYLBa
https://flic.kr/p/EkdA6t
Really beautiful Jame , I can not wait to see more . A seventh winter campaign worth a beautiful panorama to document the website ....
_____________________________________________
Vraiment très beau Jame, j'ai vraiment hâte de voir la suite. Une septième campagne hivernale vaut bien un beau panorama pour documenter la site ....
And a Stereo view of Knudsen Ridge. I'm going to be working on a 3D model using the pancam images.
https://flic.kr/p/EnMNzt
Stunning mosaics, James.
Clouds drifting by on 4294:
MI anag/xeye views from http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04297/1M509656164EFFCP97P2936M2M1.html
A couple of PanCam L257 images from Sol 4302
The color and shape of the rock in that first image look more like fragments of the rock type in Lindbergh Mound and the Lewis and Clark targets that Opportunity studied just before entering Marathon Valley proper. Maybe just a piece of float?
More than likely.
Just thought I would 'put it out there' and see what came back, ( I'm no geologist, as has just been shown)
I ran dburts' reply through a language translation program and it ran away and started whimpering behind the sofa!!
An effective dust trap http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04305/1P510368819EFFCPC5P2408R2M1.html xeye/anag:
Another sloping Martian 'puddle'(!) - nice anaglyph.
Some nice clouds have been visible in the front hazcams.
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/2016-03-02/1F510193451EFFCPBBP1212L0M1.JPG
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/2016-03-03/1F510278908EFFCPC5P1212L0M1.JPG
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/forward_hazcam/2016-03-04/1F510367761EFFCPC5P1212L0M1.JPG
This is my Oppy panorama (from sol 4267 to 4294)
https://flic.kr/p/DEqkdS
What looks like it may be a DD on the horizon:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2016-03-10/1N510901175EFFCPE5P1928R0M1.JPG?sol4311
It's visible in both L and R frames. It's been very rare to see DD's at Meridiani.
According to my notes - which might not be complete - that is the first one seen since sol 3514, a bit more than a Mars year ago.
Phil
Seems like we have waited a long time for a full panorama in this area. Thanks, Jan! Here is a roughly reprojected version to give a sense of what the area looks like in map form. Eli's color panorama was taken nearby but not in exactly the same spot.
Phil
I agree 3514 was the last time we saw what clearly looked like a DD. Before that only 3182 and 2301 as far as I know.
Of course it can be hard to decide what's a DD and what's a gust sometimes. This latest sighting on 4311 shows no sign of continuing up into the sky, so it may just be an intense gust.
excavation hole anaglyphs http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04313/1N511078584EFFCPEFP1982L0M1.html navcam and http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04315/1P511252442EFFCPEFP2411R1M1.html pancam
Unless I missed it here, there was a brief update a few weeks back on http://nmnaturalhistory.org/space-science/rover-field-reports-mars (note the URL has changed) that illustrates Oppy's angle in the debris chute.
A rather interesting amount of deposited sand has flowed down the rear solar panel as a direct result of the high tilt. Looks like this event happened between 4311-4312 (March 10-11)
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2016-03-14/1N511254444EFFCPEFP1990L0M1.JPG
It seemed to start on Sol 4310.
http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04310/1P510812810EDNCPCEP2104L6M1.html
I tried to make a Pancam anaglyph of the recent excavations, there was a lot of image transforming to do so some bits are easier to view than others.
and who could have guessed Oppy having its own RSL phenomena of sorts..
it looks like someone needs to make an animated GIF of it starting with a little spillage first seen http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04302/1P510099494EDNCPA9P2104L2M1.html then http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04305/1P510369418EDNCPC5P2104L2M1.html then http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04308/1P510634833EDNCPC7P2104L2M1.html then http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04310/1P510812778EDNCPCEP2104L2M1.html breaking loose http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04312/1P510984819EDNCPE5P2104L2M1.html
i wonder if those dates help settle whether the slippage owes more to slope angle or to the vibration induced by wheel gouging
Thanks for the links, that made composing the GIF easy. (Click to embiggen)
http://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/images/spacecraft/2016/20160315_1P510099494EDNCPA9P2104L2M1_animation.gif
The downward movement is easy to understand, but how would this material get onto the rover deck in the first place?
Here are two false color animations.
The material is built up over the years from the deposition of dust settling onto the panels that than falls into lower areas on the deck and gets trapped.
That may be, but the material looks quite different from the reddish dust. It is dark in color and appears to consist of coarser grains. Has it been altered in some way?
During the years of Opportunity's travels both the ubiquitous red dust and larger particles of regolith have been deposited on the rover. The red dust settles from the atmosphere in still conditions and is readily winnowed by wind gusts or dust devils and continues on its way. However heavier particles, lofted in the stronger wind events would impact the rover structure and be deposited in the dust traps on the rover deck. The 30 degree tilt and vibration has released some of it in a fascinating cascade, but there was no alteration on the rover deck if that is your question.
The dust must have a baby powder like consistency and not dust like we think of in the desert.
Ms Opportunity just got a little put out by Curiosity getting so much attention with Namib Dune. So with around 30 degrees slope being the angle of yield and just a hint of vibration, she turned her rear solar panel into a stoss slope. Pay more attention to her guys or who knows what will happen next.
Does anybody know how far the schiaperilli land will be from our MER rover? I heard in our planetary society meeting last week it would be less than a days hike. From the Mets original landing. What would be the chances we could image it's descent.
If anybody has specifics
A day's hike? Maybe, if you have a pair of Seven League Boots! Otherwise, much further than that. But you should check out the Exomars thread for information on this topic.
Phil
http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/2004/01/24/ and http://exploration.esa.int/mars/57446-exomars-2016-landing-site/ landing ellipses seem to cover the same ground... DECA should hopefully image some MER hardware...
Here is a comparison of old and new ExoMars ellipses and Opportunity's ellipse (as shown in a Malin Space Science Systems release pre-landing). There are similarities but the ExoMars ellipse is bigger.
Phil
Special for Serpens,
the Navcam L0 view on Sol 4323-4324.
Jan van Driel
Excellent, Jan - here is a roughly map-like reprojection of it to show the pattern of outcrops around this part of the valley.
Phil
Well, like Squyres said after Heat Shield Rock, this is the part of Mars where large metal objects fall from the sky...
A couple of mosaics of the floor of Marathon Valley
4325
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=121
4327
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=121
Land shark to the left:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/pancam/2016-03-29/1P512502191EFFCPMQP2423L2M1.JPG?sol4329
We've encountered them before. They usually don't give any trouble if we keep our distance and avoid eye contact.
By far the best Oppy DD ever!
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2016-04-01/1N512762808EFFCQ00P1966R0M1.JPG?sol4332
Average of L and R frames at 2x:
Stunning! Tis the season, I guess, so we can hope for a few more. Maybe some dedicated DD surveys as time permits...
Phil
The Navcam L0 Panoramic view, with DD, on Sol 4332.
Jan van Driel
and the complete Panoramic view taken on Sol 4330-4332.
Jan van Driel
Here is an L2 preview of the color pan being taken right now. I just started working on the color images for it.
https://flic.kr/p/FuQSNC
https://flic.kr/p/EZXuSN
I suppose.
https://flic.kr/p/Fwi2Df
Here are two reprojections of Jan's latest panorama. I'm experimenting with different geometries. I still have to figure out the orientations so they differ a bit.
Phil
It seems there are also clouds (or dust) on the top left in the same scene
dark version:
https://flic.kr/p/Fw9Pvy
clouds are also on sol 4320 and 4332
https://flic.kr/p/F21wik
https://flic.kr/p/F21GEc
DD anaglyph
https://flic.kr/p/F1PRWw
The complete Navcam L0 panoramic view on Sol 4334.
Jan van Driel
Jan's panorama in circular form. This is mainly useful to show the pattern of outcrops around here. It would be nice to see a map of the entire valley floor done like this.
Phil
Pancam mosaic from 4330 - 4334 looking SW.
http://www.nivnac.co.uk/martian_vistas/?p=126
I like it when I don't have to do any processing to bring out the clouds, like in tosol's navcams:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2016-04-05/1N513121351ESFCQ67P1823R0M1.JPG?sol4336
Hopefully we'll see more - maybe even like in the early days, when we had beautiful views like this:
http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/all/1/n/269/1N152063405EFF37B5P1910R0M1.JPG
Stitched together two of the frames with clouds in them from Sol 4336, then added a few frames from the post drive panorama on Sol 4334 to fill out the foreground.
https://flic.kr/p/FS3ovs
https://flic.kr/p/FS3ovs by https://www.flickr.com/photos/132160802@N06/, on Flickr
Wonderful pics guys.
James, I don't see how you filled in the data dropouts, I couldn't find any retakes for the ones that had them in mine. Unless you used images from 4336 or other Sol's at a different location.
Here are my version's.
https://flic.kr/p/F6EjuF
https://flic.kr/p/F6GYep
Ah okay, had me pretty confused there.
I couldn't help but add some clouds to this lovely scene.
https://flic.kr/p/FYSmhm
Here is the complete Navcam L0 panoramic view taken on Sol 4334-4336.
Added 4 images and look at the clouds.
Jan van Driel
A new field report just in.
http://nmnaturalhistory.org/space-science/rover-field-reports-mars
The Navcam L panorama taken on Sol 4337-4338.
Jan van Driel
Can you point to what you say may be shadow, scalbers? I'd guess cloud shadows would be very diffuse in the local foreground.
found a couple references to clouds observed by http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/science/clouds.html being 16 km. MRO http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_034342_1315 some at 42 km. oddly only this old data showed in the search, at least in the fist page, as most hits were about that 'mysterious plume' spotted 2012, so maybe just have to look a bit deeper..
[EDIT] post/pre per scalbers below, hadn't meant shadows actually seen, but was referring to the (just my?) tendency to interpret clouds as bigger than actual, making me suppose the clouds are quite low and thus prompted by the crater rim pushing the airmass above the dewpoint as it passes up over the crater rim, but perhaps the clouds could just as easily be from other interactions. I would agree, there is probably zero chance of seeing shadows from such clouds, at least humanly visible, though visible shadows cast by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agj7futqHpM, http://annesastronomynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Mars.-A-towering-dust-devil-casts-a-serpentine-shadow-over-the-Martian-surface-in-this-image-acquired-by-the-HiRISE-camera-on-NASAs-Mars-Reconnaissance-Orbiter..jpg, or http://www.space.com/4851-curious-clouds-mars.html may be somewhat common.
10-20 km is typical of tropical, aphelion-season clouds. Near the surface, during the day, it is 70-90 K warmer than at night. You really wouldn't expect daytime condensation anywhere near there. Near the poles, clouds levels of a few km to fog are found. There are times when much higher altitude CO2 clouds can be found. Now is the end of water-ice-cloud season; around a month from now is the middle of one episode of CO2 ice clouds, but I'm not aware of any Ls~150 clouds seen from Opportunity. (Some of the early-season clouds seen by Opportunity may well have been CO2.)
This is the most recent of Jan's panoramas reprojected to show the pattern of outcrops here.
Phil
A navcam animation from before and after the short drive on Sol-4345.
Original size
https://www.flickr.com/photos/43581439@N08/26413155226/sizes/o/
It's interesting that the only imaging data available since Sol-4351 is from Mark Powells Mars Images app. I think he is still getting the images for his app from the raw images that are pushed to the Amazon S3 service. All the other data sources seem to be down.
A reminder that Powell has a corresponding website:
https://www.evernote.com/pub/marsrovers/Opportunityimages#st=p&n=427734aa-49a5-4e52-9ffc-fee2c99bdef2
But that hasn't been updated in a couple of years.
Does anyone know of a web interface to the Mars Images app images?
I was aware of his Evernote site, but I'm not aware of any other web interface for his app. I'm gonna send him off an email and ask him.
The only work around that I found was to go to the Pancam Tracking site and find an imaging sequence that has been sent down, for example.
http://merweb.sese.asu.edu/merweb.pl?rover=B&sol=1&test=ops&instrument=all&choice=obs_summary&obsidtext=B%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20ops04356p235138%201
Then copy and paste the whole filename but replace /oss to /oss_maestro, sol number and what camera it was taken from ( in this case, Pancam replace in the link with pcam ) as well as change the extention from .IMG to .JPG
Like this
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss_maestro/merb/ops/ops/surface/tactical/sol/4356/opgs/edr/pcam/1P514892533EFFCQE1P2351L2M1.JPG
Tedious, but works.
No updates to the Exploratorium site since 4/20. Does some server need to be restarted?
You can go through the JSON site which is still working.
http://json.jpl.nasa.gov/data.json
leads to sol list:
https://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/images/image_manifest.json
leads to page for sol:
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/images/images_sol4356.json
which has URL to JPG:
http://merpublic.s3.amazonaws.com/oss/merb/ops/ops/surface/tactical/sol/4356/opgs/edr/pcam/1P514892533EFFCQE1P2351L2M_.JPG
Recommend Chrome with JSONView plugin to make links clickable or it is relatively simple to use Python scripts to batch download what you want.
James
Here are a couple of full resolution false-color preview crops of the ongoing big panorama that Oppy is taking.
https://flic.kr/p/GNM5tE
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7045/26783624636_5b46747dae_o.jpg
https://flic.kr/p/GqSC1J
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7606/26535743370_de73e863ae_o.jpg
I really am hoping Oppy stays here for a while and extends this panorama more!
cant wait for the big pano so heres a slightly distorted stitch anaglyph of http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04368/1M515960917EFFCQE1P2956M2M1.html target brushing
I added the recently released Blender model of Oppy to James' awesome dust devil pano from last month.
https://flic.kr/p/H5UQLn
The air is pretty clear over Endeavour at the moment, and we are getting nice views across to the opposite rim. I thought it might be interesting to compare the images with those from Cape York two Mars years ago, to see if there were any changes such as a new streak. No - no obvious changes (though using the PDS versions might improve the chances). But it might be interesting to check from time to time.
Phil
Obrigado Fernando. I had a look at that page and didn't see the dimensions of the folded-up MER... Will keep looking!
Hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day and Happy Martian Opposition.
https://flic.kr/p/HzXNED
Gigapan:
http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/187757
Very nice view in James' gigapan! Interesting to see the color variations in the distance between redder and more brown. Helps give perspective to when we look at Mars as a whole and ask, what color is it?
Wow! beautiful gigapan James, that really made my day! here is stereo of that crusty critter from http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04389/1M517827387EFFCQG7P2935M2M1.html
Here is the colorful False Color version for those interested.
https://flic.kr/p/HzxguG
Gigapan:
http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/187785
Excellent work as usual James.
Full fat:
https://flic.kr/p/HA8q7U
Semi-skimmed:
http://imgur.com/BFcvf7Z
[quote name='James Sorenson' date='Jun 1 2016, 05:03 AM' post='231030']
Here is the colorful False Color version for those interested.
https://flic.kr/p/HzxguG
Definitely interested James - that's simply beautiful!
Just out of interest, how long does it take you to assemble a montage like this?
Ah thank you James... I'm still getting to grips with the software. I tweaked my lighting/rendering process to match the shadows.
So here is take2 of my simulated Opportunity with James' wonderful pano...
Flickr:
https://flic.kr/p/HmMKkj
wide
https://flic.kr/p/HMbDBF
crop
https://flic.kr/p/GRoKfo
4k wallpaper
http://i.imgur.com/K4M2bVD.jpg
https://flic.kr/p/HMbEbg
detail
http://i.imgur.com/PZLj9hh.jpg
Those are much better Sean. Fantastic job!
Here is the 3x1 Hinners Point mosaic taken on Sol-4393
https://flic.kr/p/HLNREo
False color:
https://flic.kr/p/HLNSoh
No, thank you man, very inspired by your work.
Here is a cheeky link for a work in progress image... ( Sol 3754 )
https://flic.kr/p/HoUtAN
I will post in the relevant forum when it is finished.
Any close-ups yet from where Oppy trenched a bit with the wheel and exposed some new stuff (as mentioned in the latest Planetary Society article)?
Lots of MI's. Atomoid posted a stereo version a dozen or so posts back.
Official releases of the Marathon Valley panorama are up on jpl http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/targetFamily/Mars?subselect=Mission%3AMars+Exploration+Rover+%28MER%29%3A page http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20749 / http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20750 / http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20751.
Midnight Planets has been stuck all week at http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/latestImages.html (affecting MSL as well), not sure whats going on, https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/01/94/eb/0194ebc26beaed6a78c051b607921bdc.jpg of that separation anxiety and having to settle for cumbersome http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/all/opportunity.html
I talked with Mike and he will hopefully be able to fix the MP problem this weekend. It's hard for me too
Thanks, Jan - here is a circular version to show the pattern of outcrops here.
Phil
Here is my version of the 4409 Navcam 360. I did this one mainly to tryout the new navcam flatfields that it took on Sol-4408.
Polar:
https://flic.kr/p/J35nmw
Normal:
https://flic.kr/p/JpyTdu
Holy cow those flat fields are effective
Looks like a long drive towards the northwest on 4415 - I think these are the 4081 drive tracks:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2016-06-26/1N520130479EFFCQNQP1826R0M1.JPG?sol4415
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=37064, it will interesting to see the current state of the tracks if that's part of the plan, and we never did manage to get a snapshot of that cleanly hewn tree http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04415/1N520130641EFFCQNQP1826R0M1.html on the way down, which is now the subject of a filter sweep. It seems no pics were taken sol4080, actually its hard to spot but at the right of center in this http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04079/1N490306531EFFCNU5P1900L0M1.html shot, almost exactly http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=8058&st=15..
[EDIT 6/29] since the MER team seems to be interested in repeated imaging of this feature, might as well throw in anaglyphs of http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04416/1P520223741EFFCQNQP2381L2M1.html stitch, anag of http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04417/1P520312825EFFCQNQP2382R2M1.html and cross of http://www.midnightplanets.com/web/MERB/image/04418/1P520389076ESFCQNQP2596R2M1.html views here, fwiw..
Have a Happy 4rth of July weekend everyone.
https://flic.kr/p/HLFu8N
Full Resolution
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7599/27416257324_3ab742f6fd_o.jpg
Falsecolor:
https://flic.kr/p/HLFuKj
Full Resolution
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7407/27416259384_c9d6f56a54_o.jpg
Thanks, Jan - this is a circular reprojection of it to show the pattern of outcrops.
Phil
The Navcam L0 panoramic view on Sol 4423-4425.
Jan van Driel.
The pancam mosaic that Oppy captured between Sol 4224 and 4225 (July 4rth and 5th 2016)
https://flic.kr/p/JL4c1H
False Color:
https://flic.kr/p/HWC7qe
Hi - sorry, Floyd, what is it that is not working?
Phil
Hi Phil--your map displays just fine in your post. I quoted it and thought the map would show up in my post, but only get hypertext and no map. Guess I don't quite know how to repost images here.
My real question is if anyone knows if we are off to visit Stations 3-6 (which your map helpfully illustrated)
All the recent updates give the impression that we're finishing up at Marathon and are on our way out. We may be heading back to this Mesa area just so that we can exit along our known entrance route. (Just a guess.)
That is what I thought, but then we seemed to be exploring the valley. Guess we will see.
Swann Hill on Sol-4428. I'm working on the color mosaic that was taken of Jean-Baptiste La Jeunesse on 4429.
https://flic.kr/p/JypDmE
False Color:
https://flic.kr/p/J3Ndsu
https://flic.kr/p/JS1nG3
Falsecolor:
https://flic.kr/p/JUkFwk
As mentioned, the plan is to travel south along the rim and scope for new science locations. AFAIK, going to Lazu, the decision hasn't been made. That of coarse is a very very long ways off.
Just to be pedantic, but it's Iazu with an uppercase 'I'
I got confused a while back too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iazu_(crater)
Oh man!
Thank you for correcting me on that.
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/docs/PMSR2016_Report_Final.pdf
The senior review (see the Opportunity section) includes some information about proposed future investigations.
How far from its current location is the small gully which Opportunity is meant to be investigating in the extended mission?
Are they not referring to Marathon Valley itself as a small gully? Although as gullies go, I would think it's rather large.
Since it seems apparent we are indeed leaving Marathon to get going southwards and EM10 refers to 3 future locations with a 'small gulley' as its centerpiece, its puzzling, since the further south of Marathon we go, the more the gully picture appears to dry up, so it must be a small one indeed, the next gulley is another 'valley' about 200 meters to the south which seems the only game in town other than potentially apparently unresolvable small gulleys along the more standard crater rim further south, at least by looking at the http://hirise-pds.lpl.arizona.edu/PDS/EXTRAS/RDR/ESP/ORB_036700_036799/ESP_036753_1775/ESP_036753_1775_MRGB.abrowse.jpg.
[Edit] looking closer at the HiRise, a potential candidate seems to exist where the color section exits the ridgeline on that large light-shaded area just north of the ancient filled-in dune-covered crater two small dark lines descending to the valley floor from the ridge seem to represent gullies..ive added a snapshot.. gullies? or just collections of float rocks..?
Sol 4433 Lpancam of Hinners Point (waiting for James' color version):
https://flic.kr/p/K7YQtr
anaglyph/parallel view of sol4433 boulder field, stitching artifacts compliments of ICE.
Beautiful! Again (as with Victoria) wishing we could name a "Far Side" crater after Gary Larsen.
ITS BACK!!!!!!
Caught in Navcam frames on Sol 4435
Get out of the wa...saaaand!
I this a standard 6 foot humanoid, or a life form of a different scale? Fred, what do you think?
Hello all,
I see your fanatistic panoramas from Oppy since years. Now I search for a solution to view them in real 3D in my Samsung Gear VR device. Has anyone experience with converting panoramas or picture into 360 degree 3D movies (MP4)?
I think it should be possible, but I have no idea where to start.
Thanks,
MoreInput
I'd be interested in knowing how to do that to! I am not aware of anything other than shape from shading techniques. But ultimately the best solution will always be using both the Left and Right eye images and creating a terrain mesh.
This is Jan's panorama from sols 4423-4425 in circular form, and cropped to focus on the pattern of outcrops here. I would like to have a mosaic of images like this covering the whole valley floor - the part we have explored - geometrically controlled with HiRISE orthoimages. I have played with part of it. Of course it would be better if someone on the science team could make it and then release it...
Phil
The Navcam R0 Panoramic view on Sol 4441-4442.
Jan van Driel
Excellent! Thanks, Jan - here is a circular version of your panorama. The pattern of outcrops and rocks is very apparent.
Phil
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