Here is my final version of the "Concepción interior" pan taken at Chocolate Hills (including Oppy at work on the intriguing rocks)



James

Exactly what I thought when I saw this one, possibly the most classically 'Mars like' image Oppy has ever taken.

Also in the downlink today was the last bit of the initial Concepción Crater pan.



James

There will be more to add later, but here is the pan so far (taken on sol 2153) from Opportunities current location at Chocolate Hills.



James

Agreed, this thread isn't really appropriate. I've split the SDO posts off to a new thread

Hang on, so one of mine was shown? cool!

I forgot about the programme and was busy answering questions about my MER work for a Finnish magazine at the time! So much media attention so little time.

Was planning to iPlayer it tonight anyway.

James

Looks like a good drive from a tilt perspective.

Here are the horizon features plotted alongside another 'inverse-polar' map from this position.



I've drawn guide lines from the peaks to appropriate positions on the map in yellow and orange lines highlight the visible extent of Izau (I'm still thinking about identification of peaks)

James

Still at least 2/3 of the pan to add, but seeing how everyone is falling over themselves over this one...



James

Yes, I'm still happy with that.

I think you might be confused as to which peak is which. (I'm working on the pan and a feature identification plot). 'Cook' the big hill in the middle of the far rim from our POV is the peak on the far left of the images posted, nothing can be seen beyond it. In the middle, is part of the near rim where we are headed with Izau behind it.

James

Just been playing around with Google Earth and thought this may interest some here.

It is at the limit of the the GE elevation data but I think this is a match. The pancams are at 3x stretch and I have GE with 3x vertical exaggeration as well. For orientation, the 'bright' bits on the GE image (middle and right) are bits of the interior of Iazu.



James

Recent Drive Direction mosaics.

(all link to the same post)

2128


2130


2131


2133



James

Images up - looks like some great progress.

http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/fo...PGP1214R0M1.JPG
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/re...PGP1314R0M1.JPG

Woah! Go Spirit...

That colour change is on the pdf version - I guess it indicates the transition from 'planned' route to 'hypothetical' route.

As it is so flat around here and the contours are far apart it is hard to tell, but anywhere between Conception and 500m past it, should be the start of the downhill run to Endeavour (and HOAV time).

Mini-Endurance by Christmas I'd say.

Welcome Peter.

One important thing to be aware of, is that the 6.5cm distance is the translation of the rover centre. It is clear that Spirit is rotating significantly so the distance traveled by the wheel you are looking at will indeed be quite a bit more that.

James

EDIT: Cross posted with Doug.

Great that the south horizon is opening up again, however we have seen all of Iazu before - it is the Endeavour direction that we could do with seeing more of.

http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...st&p=145461

My take is that those are just more big ripples a little beyond Conception.

Hopefully we are near the top of the rise, it would be nice to have a distant horizon to look at (and Phil-o-vision ) again. But personally I'm not expecting a 'hell-of-a-view' for a long time yet.

As Fredk says those are the hills of Iazu Crater which iirc are actually ~40km away. The clear atmosphere at the moment can play tricks.

No 'Belly rock' is much further underneath than that. 10's of cm.

Just managed to grab a few minutes of 'Mars time' (a rare thing these days!) to process the recent R21 drive direction mosaics.

All four images link to the same blog entry.

2114


2122


2124


2125


Looking forward to getting a good look at Conception Crater, should be spectacular with all that shattered Meridiani pavement.

James

Those are just astonishing Bernhard, great work!

Merry Christmas UMSFers! Hope you all had as great an '09 and are looking forward to '10 as much as we are.

Baby is now asleep in bed and we are ready for our first Christmas as parents! Massively exciting!

Thanks all, for making this place the place we all love.

Cheers,

James

Yestersol was sol B-2100 , time for another map update:



James

I presume you meant Sol 2113?