MSL at Rocknest, First scoop samples - sols 57-101 Options

[fredk]

Not a dust storm, but perhaps increased tau. There was a big jump in tau over at Oppy's site recently. It's the right time of year for it, and this is exactly what increased tau looks like.

These two images were taken less than 20 minutes apart in local time, so I don't think lighting (or stretching) can account for the reduction in visibility of the rim:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/pr...NCAM00530M_.JPG
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/pr...NCAM03214M_.JPG

[Drkskywxlt]

Any variation in atmospheric opacity would come from dust. So, it might not be a "storm", but if that change in visibility is not due to any image stretching/camera effects, then we're seeing short-term weather changes and dust lifting.

[Ant103]

Yes Fredk and Drkskywxit (how do you pronounce that ?).
Also, this is maybe the reason why they have planed sky observation with the Mastcams on Sol 100 an 101.

[Zelenyikot]

Was the touch-and-go with the APXs?

Yes, this beautiful kiss


Colour ChemCam and anaglyph on sol 100

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[EdTruthan]

That "kiss" (and yes, still at Rocknest) according to the time stamps was taken just over an hour before the few "final shots" before leaving Rocknest. If one studies the ground in those, and the "kiss" shot, it's clear that the small move forward to steal that wayward kiss is what doomed the scoops. I'll always kinda think fondly of those ol' scoops. Call me a softy. In a sense, it was the first time MSL really reached out and "touched" Mars so to speak, and by extension I suppose, so did we. I was kind of hoping they'd just drive a way and leave the scoops intact...

C'est la vie... onward into the wilderness!

[Greenish]

To make up for the above nearly content-free post (which everyone who reads Emily's tweets already knew about)-

Here is my version of an R531 composite of the notched rock we earlier discussed imaged on Sol 86. The full-res filtered images (except R6, oh well) just came down. Can clearly see the evidence of ChemCam zaps.

[Ant103]

Sol 86 Mastcam 100 mosaic. Very nice angle of lighting there .

[ronald]

Fascinating views!

To complete Greenishs post above - composite of green (1), blue (2), one of the infrareds (5) and the bayer-filter image:

Some more filter images of this rock where made on sol 100 - MR and ML ...

Edit: Rocknest 3 it is

[fredk]

anaglyph on sol 100

Nice job, using MR for right channel and chemcam for left.

[Zelenyikot]

Thanks

Shots are made at different time of days, but the difference in transparency is too obvious.

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[Zelenyikot]

New bright object. sol 78

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/ms...9000E1_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/ms...1000E1_DXXX.jpg

The offer to moderators. Can it is necessary to allocate a topic "MSL at Rocknest"?

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[elakdawalla]

I'm splitting off some recent posts into a new topic, continuing into Glenelg. Keep this one for Rocknest discussion. I figure it makes sense to split the topic between sol 101 and 102 -- the drive on sol 100 was very short, but 102 marked new horizons!

[Zelenyikot]

Anaglyph on sol 78

I will miss a Rocknest

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[Guest_Actionman_*]

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/ms...7000E1_DXXX.jpg

0101ML0674017000E1 has a sluice bending creek remnant.
At the top of the photo.

Mod edit: rule 3.2.

[fredk]

Even the target area at the base of the mound is getting lost in the elevated tau (this really gives a good sense of how far away we're looking):

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-images/ms...2000E1_DXXX.jpg

Imagine if we landed in conditions like this and had to wait months and months to get a clear look at those buttes and mesas!