Phoenix has landed! Options

[ElkGroveDan]

Successful touchdown

[kenny]

Likewise, many congratulations are due on a truly brilliant recovery from the previous debacle...
which left us wondering about the risks of attempting a non-airbag landing.

Regarding the sparkly object on the horizon, recall that the interior of the backshell is very shiny silvery material (if the same as the Rovers') and those backshells both became inverted on impact, which made them so bright and caused long streaks of camera artifacts similar to what we see here.

Also, given the flat unobstructed terrian, I'll be surprised if the parachute isn't lying visible somewhere on the other side of the spacecraft, currently out of view....