Seems like a good time for a new thread.
Spirit should be on her way back to Home Plate fairly soon. To help plan this, back on sols 1081 and 1089 a long baseline anaglyph was taken in that direction, here is my attempt to put it together.
http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~jcanvin/mer/index.html#A1081
James
> Spirit should be on her way back to Home Plate fairly soon.
Perhaps she's on the move right now! The plan for tosol (1102) includes driving and taking a "post-drive" 180º navcam mosaic centered at 288º (looking back to Low Ridge).
I'm pretty convinced they won't move towards Tyrone so this could be the first move on the return to Home Plate.
Stay tuned.
Yes!
Spirit did a sort of U-Turn and is now positioned to drive (backwards, off course) towards Home Plate.
Rhaz: http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/rear_hazcam/2007-02-08/2R224199805EFFASHLP1312R0M1.JPG
Fhaz: http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/forward_hazcam/2007-02-08/2F224199753EFFASHLP1212R0M1.JPG
Added 2 images.
The L0 Navcam view from Sol 1096 and Sol 1098.
jvandriel
My attempt on the 360º navcam panorama (half-size) taken on sol 1103.
New update confirms drive back to Home Plate
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html
Robin
Stu, those are stunning - you've nailed that colour pretty much dead on. Those could've been press release images.
Ok, Spirit is on the move again.
Based on the last http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/forward_hazcam/2007-02-13/2F224645054EFFASL5P1212R0M1.JPG and http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/rear_hazcam/2007-02-13/2R224645105EFFASL5P1312R0M1.JPG images from sol 1107, I would place the rover here (see image).
Thanks Fred, I was quite pleased with them. Think I'm getting better
Here's a view from a couple of days ago I completely forgot about...
Here's the "post-drive" navcam mosaic (4x1) taken on sol 1107.
Given a broken wheel - I'm really rather pleased with the length of that drive - should be back at HP fairly soon.
Doug
I think the tricky manouvers on five wheels are only those related to positioning the rover for IDD work.
Straight driving for "long" distances was already seen when Spirit drove back from Tyrone to the winter haven on sols 803 & 805.
Sorry if this has already been posted
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/070214_smart_rovers.html
I didn't want to start a topic for it.
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/rear_hazcam/2007-02-15/2R224823033EFFASNUP1312L0M1.JPG
Looks like Spirit is enjoying herself - trying to build a sand castle
Pushing herself up against that mound - and a stone in her jammed wheel
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/forward_hazcam/2007-02-15/2F224830541EFFASNUP1214L0M1.JPG
Just a bit of messing around while nursing a very sick dog (see avatar... ) Operation for her tomorrow, so have to do something to take my mind off it...
Hi Stu hope all goes well with your dog (sorry I don't know his/her name.)
Shaka hello, those rocks do look new and so porous that they could almost be pumice.
I hope the stone in bad wheel doesn't make thing worse for Spirit.
Roy F
Stu,
Let us know how things go with the operation.
Dogs are special companions.
Stu, I hope everything goes well.
Lhoba sents her best wishes.
Dogs...We can't live without them...
Thanks for all the support guys re Amber's operation earlier today, I really appreciate it. Not embarrassed to admit I've been in pieces all day, ever since leaving Amber at the vet's first thing this morning. But happy to be able to report that our 14 year old collie made it through the kidney biopsy op, and is now sleeping off the anaesthetic in the vet's, on a drip, warm and safe under a sheepskin blanket. The op uncovered definite kidney damage, which the tests on the biopsy sample will hopefully show can be treated with appropriate medication/diet etc.
I love this dog to bits, not ashamed to admit it,though I know "non dog people" will find it hard to understand how something like this can get to you, but that's ok. She's been sitting or more usually sleeping by my side as I've sat here looking at MER pictures for the past 3 years. I actually use Amber in my school and public Outreach talks a lot, and often sneak her into pictures, just for the sake of it. This is one I use to see if anyone actually sees it and asks "Is that a real photo..?"
Been backtracking a bit and hey, look where we were a year ago...
The MER website has an http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_spiritAll.html#sol1104 from the 16th Feb.
Among other things, Spirit suffered a reboot and will be moving towards HP on sol 1104.
Here is the 360 degree panoramic view taken with
the L0 Navcam on Sol 1107 and Sol 1108.
jvandriel
The L7 Pancam view in the drive direction on Sol 1109.
jvandriel
Nothing on Exploratorium for the past two days--does anyone know if we have gotten any data from Spirit recently? Hopefully not another computer reset. Maybe she has just gone shopping for a new set of wheels, it's Presidents Day (An American tradition to buy stuff on this holiday, particularly cars).
Sol 1113 is finishing but I don't know if the evening downlink window was already done or not.
Truly the imaging plan for these weekend was very "light" but I would expect in that case some older images to get their way through the downlink pipeline.
I really hope there was no other reset; who knows. What I know is that tomorrowsol (1114) looks to be driving sol i.e. move towards Home Plate.
We will see.
Now that I think I've just about managed to get half-decent colours with my software, in advance of Spirit's triumphant, wounded-wheel dragging return to Homeplate, I've been going back over old images of the feature and seeing what I could do... looking forward to views like this again...
Nothing new, yet. Sol 1114 images should hit the exploratorium NET 20:30UTC.
New set of images at http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/.
Let's see if we may have at least two more driving days before the weekend so Spirit could be at Home Plate's east face soon. Given the current downlink times I'm afraid Spirit is on restricted sols.
Here is the rover current location (approximate) as seen from a navcam mosaic taken on sol 1103.
Still playing about with carefully re-examining old Homeplate images, and now I really want to go back to this rock... I don't think they looked at it carefully enough last time.
Sol 1116 Navcam equirectangular:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/399393616/
(I don't have access to PTGui at the moment, so the stitch is not the best.)
Thanks, Michael.
First I thought you've touched the original image, then I said to myself: "No, it's really there! What's that!".
Then I realized those "scratches" were wheel marks...
mhoward,
here is my version of the Sol 1116 L0 navcam pano.
With the help of MichaelT's anti vignetting program
and Paintshop Pro 7 and of course Autostitch.
jvandriel
Spirit is driving parallel to the old tracks from sols 770-780. Here is the "post-drive" navcam mosaic from sol 1119 after moving 6m northwards.
>Spirit is driving parallel to the old tracks from sols 770-780.
I've been wondering about that. I had rather expected that Spirit might circle around the southwest side of the plate (something new), yet the current route map seems to indicate that it is very nearly retracing its route about the northeast side. There was that intriguing blueberry-looking feature seen from the sol 764 (or thereabouts) location which I've been wanting to get back to, but retracing the same route has caught me a bit by surprise.
A late picture post because I can't acces to the web via my laptop (losing my wifi usb key, but now, I've got a pcmcia card).
So, here is Bellingshausen rock, on Sol 1108 :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Spirit/Panoramas_couleur/Bellingshausen-Sol1108.jpg
The http://www.planetary.org/news/2007/0228_Mars_Exploration_Rovers_Update_Spirit.html on The Planetary Society has a nice description of the driving and science strategy once Spirit reaches Home Plate. Here is an extract.
Hmm... Looks like an interesting proliferation of the King George - Troll units up off the starboard bow:
Cool view of the place where Spirit spent 8 months...
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-03-01/2N226066014EFFASWCP0656R0M1.JPG
All views of Mars are cool at this time of year, Dilo, but they will be warming up in the coming months*.
*(Sorry, I don't know how to convert the term months into revolutions of Phobos and Diemos.)
Here is the 225º navcam mosaic facing Mitcheltree ridge. Sol 1123.
Nices views here I seen
On the road to Home Plate, a two-framed-panorama taken toward SW horizon with Grissom Hill, on Sol 1110 :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Images_de_spirit-2007.html#Sol1110
And desktop :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Desktop/Monticule&GrissonHill-Sol1118-desktop.png
I began to have such desktop pictures to make a calendar (for 2008 ).
Ant, did you see the petrafied ant Spirit found http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/p/1108/2P224728976EFFASL5P2559L2M1.JPG
Its the rock on the right middle part of the screen
and here is the complete 360 degree panoramic view
from Sol 1123.
Taken with the L0 Navcam.
jvandriel
Another nice view cutout of the Sol 1123 Navcam
Panorama and coloured.
jvandriel
Yes Stu
Time to update my sky following :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Spirit/Inclassables/EvolutionCielOpacite-Sols972-980-1009-1013-1024-1041-1064-1087-1122.jpg
Dust quantity is decreasing.
Sol 1126, right Navcam:
I agree. I like the way the strata in the foreground appear to sweep around to the left; and behind it the big dark expanse of El Dorado.
Interesting changes on the solar panels between these two shots 4-5 minutes apart, sol 1125:
Reflections of the sun off the mast onto the deck?
Phil
Reflections off the IDD itself perhaps?
Doug
Agreed. Reflections onto the deck makes sense - not from the arrays.
I see a reflection from the IDD into the camera causing glare. Especially likely with a very dusty camera lens.
Steve
I was reading again this part of the http://www.planetary.org/news/2007/0228_Mars_Exploration_Rovers_Update_Spirit.html.
(strikethrough and bold styles are mine)
It just doesn't make sense to me to drive back south to get onto Home Plate, when Spirit is already sitting next to a spot where it previously drove off the plate and has therefore already surveyed. I suppose that they might have noticed something interesting in the edge further to the south, or that the intent is to do a complete clockwise jaunt around the plate. I'm sure there's a rationale, but I don't see it.
Your proposal would take Spirit along the eastern rim of HomePlate 3(!) times in a row...
A bit strange, isn't it. If you want to do a clockwise survey of the thing, why not do it from the inside?
So, drive a bit further North outside of HP, then cross the edge to get on top of it and then return South.
But it seems that the words of Mr. Banerdt are pretty cryptical (at least to me).
This plan does have Spirit passing the edge of HP 3 times in this area, but the first 2 times it did not do a survey of the edge of the plate. A full stereo multispectral or miniTES survey has not been done along this edge.
Phil
I had interpreted that report to mean that they were also interested in imaging the rim of HP from the outside all the way up to the sol 768 position or so.
Also, I think Squyres has talked about one particular rock on top of HP - I've forgotton the name, but I think it had to be http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/p/772/2P194897821EFFAPBCP2595L7M1.JPG at the sol 768 position. He sounded very eager to reexamine it.
Yes, there is Steve Squyres' rock. Also, in the update it is clear that
the rover planners were not yet sure to what extent they would stick
to the perimeter of Home Plate or cut across it to various parts of the
rim. I don't see any sign of the clockwise rounding approach.
> algorimancer: It just doesn't make sense to me to drive back south to get onto Home Plate
> Cugel: Your proposal would take Spirit along the eastern rim of HomePlate 3(!) times in a row...
Ok, the "Future route" in the map is mine, but it's just how I read (I may be wrong) Mr. Banerdt's words in the report i.e. drive north up to TBD then back south.
> Phil Stooke: This plan does have Spirit passing the edge of HP 3 times in this area, but the first 2 times it did not do a survey of the edge of the plate.
I would say "passing 3 times, but the first without doing a survey". They *are* doing a pancam survey on this pass but given the IDD status until a few sols ago I'm not sure if the next pass (south, if actually done) will include science or not.
> fredk: I had interpreted that report to mean that they were also interested in imaging the rim of HP from the outside all the way up to the sol 768 position or so.
Sol 786 or current position. That's the question, but I can't find a definitive answer on the report. The reference to that rock by S.S. may be a hint.
On Sol 1123 Spirit passed the 7000 m mark.
Phil
Glad to know that. Thanks Phil.
I think it would be nice to include this odometer milestone on the route map, mostly because I have my doubts that we would see an 8 km mark.
Edited:
Hi,
The fine layering that Stu describe
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Images_de_spirit-2007.html#Sol1128
(I've made in the same time a little redraw of my website)
Spirit was on the move today (sol 1132), obviously heading north.
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-03-11/2N226864122EFFASY4P0645R0M1.JPG
Yeah, Tesh, it looks like Steve wasn't kidding about returning to 'Fuzzy' Smith. It'll be interesting to see what he does to it that he didn't do back around sol 772.
Old tracks, new tracks...
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-03-11/2N226864523EFFASY4P1975L0M1.JPG
1 year difference, right?
Yup. Nice coincidence.
Am I totally confused or is spirit exploring the East side of Home Plate? The current Spirit update states that they are exploring the http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html. Isn't North at the top of the UMSF route map? They have also been talking about going around Home Plate in a clockwise direction--sure looks to me like the are going counterclockwise. Am I living in a mirror image reflected world. Help!
Floyd
The JPL page is wrong - we're on the E side at the moment.
Doug
Just checked the PCDT page to know that the MER team named this feature "Pitcher's Mound".
Updated version of Home Plate layers :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Images_de_spirit-2007.html#Sol1128
Here is the complete 360 degree panoramic view
taken on Sol 1126 and Sol 1128 with the L0 Navcam.
jvandriel
Would love to see a stereo pair of http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/p/1134/2P227037171EFFASY4P2434L7M1.HTML...cool projecting erosional features almost everywhere you look!
Nprev : your wish are orders
Here's a nearby view:
Wow. That one (the propped up one) almost looks like a volcanic bomb.
Here is the 360 degree panoramic view on Sol 1132
taken with the L0 Navcam.
jvandriel
Thanks for the stitch, jv (I tried to make it this morning but result wasn't satisfyng).
After some small correction of local contrast/luminosity, here the usual reprojections
Ant103, you are my hero...thanks!!!!
Strange, strange place, this.
Very nice set of navcam images down at Exploratorium. Spirit is continuing its counterclockwise journey around the East side of home plate. We now have a great view of part of http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-03-15/2N227219742EFFASZWP0635L0M1.JPG and are sitting in front of "Pitcher's Mound".
A slight change visible between sol 1130 and 1132: near bottom of image, midway between left edge and center.
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-03-16/2N226677862ESFASWTP1561L0M1.JPG
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-03-16/2N226855745ESFASWTP1561L0M1.JPG
Yeah, that looks like a dust removal streak.
There was a glimpse of an apparent DD in the navcam subframe sequence from sol 1135. Compare the last two images and look just left of center. There was a pretty long time gap between the images in this sequence, so more than one DD may have been captured, but there are faint changes left of center between the last three frames from this sol. On second inspection, there are also changes right of center. Several must have passed by. These were a bit faint, but what does it take to toggle the new software, or does it toggle automagically?
Two imaging sequences from sol 1138 were named
01138::p2573::17::13::13::0::0::2::28::pancam_ompt_phundahl_L234567Rall
01138::p2574::17::13::13::0::0::2::28::pancam_shador_L234567Rall
Hints?
Sounds exciting....
Ompt is an island in the Great Toonoolian marshes inhabited by intelligent marsupials. Phundahl is a city at the west end of the same marshes.
Shador is a prison island in the subterranean sea of Omean under the Martian South Pole.
I must say the only thing I can think it hints at is that there is an ERB fan around somewhere.
Here's what shows up on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Master_Mind_of_Mars.
Have we had features named after Mars fiction before?
edit: not quite quick enough!
Naming features after fictional characters and places is only fair, I say. Christening some rocks or outcrops after John Carter, Thuvia, Tars Tarkas, John Boone, Ann Clayborne and Sax Russell is loooooooong overdue.
Some fascinating layering visible in the latest image batch... this all looks very jumbled to my non-geologist eyes, anyone care to shed some light on what we're seeing here?
Don't forget Deja Thoris!
For greatest effect, all such-named rocks ought to be part of an outcrop named Helium, in a larger structure christened Barsoom...
-the other Doug
It looks like they will spend (part of) this next week analysing Barsoom geology.
This navcam was taken aften driving today (sol 1139) and is centered at the IDD work volume.
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-03-18/2N227483569EFFAS2JP1982L0M1.JPG
Well, if they're going for SF names, we'd better see a "Willis" pretty soon! 'Bounce Rock' @ Meridiani was a lost Opportunity in that vein...
Here is the 360 degree Panoramic view taken
on Sol 1139 with the L0 Navcam.
jvandriel
Here is jvandriel's latest pan in polar format.
PS I met a couple of UMSF readers at LPSC - greetings to both of you!
Phil
High Phil, I spoke to you in the poster room before session. I saw your Eros poster somewhat later and was impressed. I enjoyed the conference, I hope you did to. Off topic, After one of Steve Squyres talks about Gusev soils, Specifically the dragging of Tyrone material back up to Winter Haven in the wheel hub/hubs, Someone questioned the possibility of the material simply already being there and being squeezed out as the rover drove by. Steve replied that they were really big wheels and the were buried quite deep at Tyrone. It seems to me that the dispersal of material would taper off in quantity over the distance. Maybe I'm remembering it wrong but it seems like it was quite uniform. Could anyone respond or if this is and old topic please excuse my lapse.
Mike Farley
Round Rock, Texas
I was using a different (and completely wrong) approach to combine different images from Spirit...
The result was obviously, quite strange, with some greenish rocks in the place...
Could someone post a correct colour version derived from those same images?
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/pancam/2007-03-20/2P227653482EFFAS2JP2576L2M1.JPG
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/pancam/2007-03-20/2P227653567EFFAS2JP2576L5M1.JPG
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/pancam/2007-03-20/2P227653617EFFAS2JP2576L7M1.JPG
Here's a straightfoward L456, and the context:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/429476735/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/marscat/429485260/
ustrax: Out of curiosity I made the 257 composite and the color was fairly similar to Mike's 456.
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=431706302&size=o, would love this in color,
Spirit looking back on Sol 1141.
Taken with the L0 Navcam.
jvandriel
and here is the complete one.
Taken on Sol 1141 and 1143 with the L0 Navcam.
jvandriel
... and the same pan in polar format. Thanks, jvandriel. It's so good to get these pans from you and our other contributors almost as they are downlinked.
Phil
Nice to hear that Phil.
Thanks for making these polar views.
jvandriel
An other color view toward the sky was come... Time to update the sky observation following
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Images_de_spirit-2007.html#atmopacite
We can see a little augmentation of dust density on Sol 1142.
It's more visible here (high contrast version):
What a gorgeous view! It is amazing to me how one's perspective seems to broaden, now that Spirit's eyes are moving again. I had previously noted that it seemed that the dip directions of the rock layering seemed to change as Spirit moved away from Home Plate. It is pretty darn apparent in this lovely view from sol 1141-1142.
One of the papers I was able to catch at LPSC briefly mentioned noting a synform (layers that are bent into a downwardly sagging or U-shape) at Winter Haven. They noted that all dips at HP have been radially toward it's center. I think that is why a lot of people have been thinking that HP could be the volcanic center. The observed dip reversals at Winter Haven are being interpreted by some as the possible draping of later layers over preexisting topography. I thought that was pretty nice, since some of us here have been suspecting that for a while.
At a different presentation, someone noted certain similarities between the upper HP section and some basal surge deposits, to which another scientist later added a comment that HP may not be the actual vent, but may be an erosional remnant of something. (I can only paraphrase the speakers, and I am doing my best not to add my own interpretations.) The impression I left with was that certain details of the stratigraphy have been consistent with what was initially seen at HP, and what has been observed elsewhere suggests the possibility of volcaniclasts deposited upon a preexisting topography. The later scientist promised new papers in Science in the near future.
So, take a look at this view, and decide for yourself.
I'm quite sure I can't decide for myself at this point, CosRok, but here we sit, about as far up into Mitcheltree Ridge as we dare go with a stuck wheel, facing a decision of where to go next. So, imagining that Steve handed over the tiller to you, to go to one particular location in this incredible ballpark, to make one specific observation that would 'crystallize' all our understanding of HP, where would you steer us? What do you most need to find to be at peace in your heart with this particular corner of Mars?
Of Mars...of Mars...of Mars...
FWIW, Spirit is planned to leave the current site today (sol 1148).
Towards where? Who knows, but the "magic codes" in the PCDT web suggest it might be southwards.
We'll see.
Me too, at least for the "Header Level" data.
My heading suggestion is just based on the imaging sequences' names:
01141::p1943::navcam_5x1_az_216_pri_30_3_bpp
...
01148::p0725::03::10::0::0::10::0::20::navcam_5x1_az_216_3_bpp
Speaking of HP, Spirit is right at its edge after the last move on sol 1148.
Rhazcam: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/rear_hazcam/2007-03-27/2R228283548EFFAS6MP1312L0M1.JPG
Navcam (@ 216º): http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-03-27/2N228283745EFFAS6MP0725L0M1.JPG
Edit: This is the current site as seen from the previous one. The background pic is from CosmicRocker (hope you don't mind, Tom).
Back to the Plate at last That's some really neat crosscutting layering there.
the 'straight' between HP and Mitchelltree Ridge looks like a dual carriageway now
Doug
Here's a look back...
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=437613492&size=l http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=437613384&size=l
This is a great panorama! (Sol1148, colorized stitch of 4 L7 frames)
I'm a bit surprised, I thought spirit would head straight across HP.
Here's where she went (blue line)
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=439311551&size=l
I seem to recall chasing down that rock a while ago. Wasn't it on the opposite side?
Here is a mosaic taken bij Spirit on Sol 1144 and Sol 1145
with the L2 Pancam.
jvandriel
This is a (partially manual) stitch from Sol1150 L257 images:
"...In the following Sol, Spirit took this very evocative subframe..."
You can see the smudges of dust that preferentially accumulate in certain locations on the antenna. I've wondered if it's an electrostatic or magnetic effect due to the locally intense RF field strength. (We may have discussed this before in some long forgotton thread). Be interesting to see how the patches have evolved over the missions.
prevailing wind during the winter stop-over more likely.
Doug
Does anyone (pancam tracking database people?) know if the http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/f/1153/2F228725239EFFAS__P1214L0M1.JPG is the "Madeline English" we've heard about?
No. "Madeline English" is that piece of layer to the right of the left wing in this image: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/n/1153/2N228725477EFFAS__P0735R0M1.JPG
The feature in front of the rover is "Clara Zaph".
Thanks, Tesheiner. And thanks for all the work identifying targets for your route map!
Another mosaic taken with the L2 Pancam
on Sol 1146 and Sol 1147.
jvandriel
Thanks for that, jvandriel. That hill on the left that is covered in the vesicular basalt blocks is interesting. Those blocks are so common that I could almost imagine being able to find pieces that fit together well enough that one could, at least partially, reassemble the layer that apparently once overlayed this area. I've been on the lookout for remnants of that layer ever since those basalt blocks became so common. We must be getting close.
A Panoramic view taken on Sol 1159
with the L2 Pancam.
jvandriel
Hi
Some days I've through without processing pictures...
But, here is 3 mosaics I've made this week-end :
Lighting evolution between mi-sol and end of sol on the 1147th day.
Panorama of a part of Home Plate on Sol 1146&1147.
And the Gusev flats with a part of Husband Hill on Sol 1159.
All resolutions on : http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Images_de_spirit-2007.html
Ant, you made an excellent work, as usual. I love in particular the "light evolution" couple of stitches...
About the Gusev panorama reported also by jvandriel in B/W, I have impression that we see very old Spirit tracks close to the center of image... am I right?
Good catch, Dilo!
If those are rover tracks they might be from sols 740-743, when Spirit was on the final leg before touching HP. BTW, this mosaic was named "Tars Tarkas", another character from Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Barsoom" series.
There was another move on sol 1162 and it looks like Spirit is taking its time at the edge of HP.
I thought they would drive the rover northwards to the same point as sol 1148 to get on top of HP again.
From: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_spiritAll.html#sol1152
One might think that the rover drivers have no idea at all where they are going.
They know exactly what they are doing. Remember they are trying to figure out the source of the sulfate salts—are they from evaporation or from volcanic venting of sulfur containing gasses. "http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/forward_hazcam/2007-04-10/2F229523016EFFAS%23%23P1214L0M1.JPG" may be what you would expect if volcanic gasses were venting and formed deposits. So they have to check it out. Also notice the apparent sulfate salts in the recent front wheel track. Some coral looking deposits may have been crushed to make the http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/pancam/2007-04-09/2P229432671EFFAS%23%23P2514R1M1.JPG (far lower right corner).
Floyd
From the latest status report:
Well, that makes sense then.
I guess we can forget about ever getting very far from Home Plate.
I wouldn't say that.
My only conclusion is that we might see very weird/strange manouvers when making turns or trying to approach a science objective.
Yeah, Tesh, the fundamental uncertainty is how easily the stuck wheel will hang-up on embedded rocks, once we leave the sandy area and venture across the plate. Hopefully the wheel will ride over most of the time. It's 'finger-crossin' time'!
Some interesting pancam shots of the homeplate layers:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/pancam/2007-04-12/2P229613264EFFAS%23%23P2445L4M1.JPG
The dark splotches embedded in the outcrop in the center of the image look like inclusions in the ash layers, yes? They don't look like bomb sags to my uneducated gaze, which I presume the science guys are still looking for more examples?
A nice view over Gusev Crater.
Taken with the L0 Navcam on Sol 1164.
jvandriel
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=460009698&size=l
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=460011051&context=photostream&size=l
Here's a view of where she was on sol 1153, as seen from sol 1141, based on the rover tracking data. Rover model by Doug Ellison.
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=462744321&size=l
Very nice job Michael
I have a question : can I take some of these rocks to bring them back to home?
The same place in color and in stereo :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Spirit/Images_en_couleur/Sol1164-Rocks.JPG
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Spirit/Images_en_couleur/Sol1164-Rocks_anaglyphe.JPG
Here is the 360 degree panoramic view
taken on Sol 1164 with the L0 Navcam.
jvandriel
Would you mind putting some sol numbers on that map?
jvandriel's pan in polar form:
Sulfates... they're not just for breakfast anymore!
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/pancam/2007-04-24/2P230680408EFFAT48P2358R1M1.JPG
Strange... looks like the ground falls away here and sediments filled a hollow...?
The new MI images show a nice brushing job on the newest target.
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/micro_imager/2007-04-25/2M230768569EFFAT48P2956M2M1.JPG
Here is a good shot for context.
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/forward_hazcam/2007-04-25/2F230769211EFFAT48P1110R0M1.JPG
Nice! So then, does this unit represent the deepest so far examined of HP? Coarsely granular, but with only slightly-rounded, rather poorly-sorted clasts? Is this the logical product of local volcanic activity? How far away from the margin of HP does this extend? As far as Mitcheltree Ridge? Beyond? To McCool Hill?
Or is this something more recent than most of HP?
Science Marches On!
Here is the Pancam L2 Panoramic view of Gusev Crater and Homeplate
taken between Sol 1169 and Sol 1174.
jvandriel
Jvandriel : you are using Autostitch to make this pano. Is it right?
What are the stitching parameters you use to made it? I have some trouble to build the complete color pan ....
Ant103,
Indeed, I always use Autostitch for stitching the Panorama's.
Here are the parameters for the Panorama,
Outputsize: 100%
Matching Options: 80% ( because the computer ran out of memory )
Theta: 0
Phi: 6.5
Psi: -2.5
Gain: 0.15
System Memory: -2
JPEG quality: 100%
Blanding bands: 2
Blanding: 5
The result is a Panorama of 20.3 MB.
jvandriel
That's a lovely stitch, jvandriel, and it's projected about right, too (compared to using the camera pointing data).
Here is the coloured Pancam L2 view
taken on Sol 1175 and 1178.
jvandriel
Jvandriel : it's stay in the same state... What are your RANSAC parameters? I can't understand that the software don't want to make a correct stitching (some of frames are correctly stitch but there are place where there are black area IN the panorama).
Ant103,
the Ransac parameters for that Panorama are the standard
Parameters:
Alpha: 10
Beta 0.2
Max.Iterations: 500.
Sometimes, when Autostitch has difficulties to match some
of the images I change the following parameters to:
Matching Options.
Min.dim (pixels): 4400
Ransac Parameters.
Alpha: 2
Beta: 0,1
Max.Iterations: 4500.
Read also the Tech, General and Imagery Forum regarding Autostitch.
jvandriel
Autostitch didn't give me much trouble. I used the images MMB produced, left autostitch on the default stetings the first time through, spotted a couple of spots where it didn't stitch properly, changed the matching options to 100% and gain to 0.3 the second time. Then adjusted phi and psi to jvandriel's settings and the output to 100% on the third try. There are some small glitches, a small split on the right edge and some doubled rocks. I made some small adjustments, to color and contrast after autostitch was finished.
There are 2 Dust Devils in the Sol 1169-1174 Panorama.
Look at the Top Row images.
The 6th image from Top Right.
jvandriel
Fabulous image of Home Base Alan. I think this could be the textbook picture of the place!
I've finally "succeed" to make the pano :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Images_de_spirit-2007.html#Sol1169
(there are on the left "phantom rocks ")
So, here is a traditonal desktop made from the uper panorama :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Desktop/HomePlate-desktop.png
Great pics Ant, as usual!
Love the variety of rocks visible to Spirit now...
Members might want to note that the Spirit team will have a paper on Home
Plate in the 04 May issue of Science.
fossilized profile of a humanoid soap-mummy at upper right of the http://mars.lyle.org/imagery/2M231027974EFFAT48P2976M2M1.JPG.html
So many nice views. Here are some model shots; the first one shows Spirit where she is right now (sol 1182), looking like she is ready to head back north to the Home Plate on-ramp (according to the latest Planetary Society update).
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=480809866&size=l http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=480818020&context=photostream&size=l http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=480809496&context=photostream&size=l
The embargo won't be lifted for a few more hours, but note that the May 4, 2007, issue of Science will have a http://www.sciencemag.org/content/vol316/issue5825/twis.dtl#316/5825/657n ("Pyroclastic Activity at Home Plate in Gusev Crater, Mars") by Squyres et al.
That Science paper This is the one we've been waiting for.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070503-mars-volcano.html has a short blurb with a few comments from Steve Squyres and Larry Crumpler.
If you have access to Science, the http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/316/5825/738 is available. Even if you don't, I believe the http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5825/738/DC1 is open access.
... and a beautifully-detailed close-up... but look how dusty our poor gal is...
http://pancam.astro.cornell.edu/pancam_instrument/1174A_BallPark.html
Not bad
Doug
"but look how dusty our poor gal is"
You could take Spirit to a Martian car wash, but water is $1 million a gallon, so you might want to wash her with a pipette.
Yeah, what with those water import costs and lack of passing traffic you might not ever get rich working in a martian car wash... but let me tell you, it's better than digging a ditch...
Spirit looking back on Sol 1184.
Taken with the L0 Navcam.
jvandriel
and a Pancam L7 view of the wheeltracks.
Taken on Sol 1184.
jvandriel
Looks like they're checking out the patch of light colored soil.
Interesting that the new wheel trench only inches away didn't uncover much bright soil at all.
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/forward_hazcam/2007-05-06/2F231745685EFFATAZP1154R0M1.JPG
Interesting image here:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/pancam/2007-05-07/2P231747976EFFATAZP2363R1M1.JPG
Look at all the different alignments of the layered rock.
Amizing, Stu, how a "familiar" place can look like an alien world...
Just beautiful
Now this is pretty bizarre ... the Mars Daily news site has a new Spirit update in usual JPL Sol-by-sol style for May 8, covering Sols 1179-1185, whereas the last Spirit update on the JPL site is dated April 13 covering Sols 1159-1163. Mars Daily usually just re-posts the material which has already appeared on the JPL site.
http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Spirit_Examined_Light___Colored_Material_Near_Home_Plate_999.html
Kenny
I've noticed that the Mars Rover site (http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status.html) does not always have the same updates as the MER site (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mer/daily.cfm). By this I mean that an update may be only at one site--they are always the same text if present at both sites. If you really want to see the update, check both sites.
Speaking of the new Spirit updates, in http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_spiritAll.html#sol1172 they wrote:
Ahh, you beat me to it.
I was about to suggest the same area.
Sounds reasonable. I believe this is the same "landslide" area from the hirise image:
A nice view of the "landslide" from sol 813, under low illumination angle. You can identify features with the orbital view I posted above.
Hmm, if that truly is a landslide, I wonder what might have triggered it. On Earth there are a variety of processes that trigger landslides: earthquakes,very rapid rates sediment accumulation, heavy rains, removing the toe of a slope causing it to be unstable... water is often involved but not always.
If you've got deposition for long enough, at some point, perhaps helped by a gust of wind - there will be that one bit of sand that just tips the balance and off you go
Doug
Nearby impact would be another idea.
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/p/1192/2P232203123EFFATAZP2364R7M1.JPG
Check out that cap rock. Looks like very fine volcanic layering.
(EDITED : Bad practice to put a full res image into a thread - post a link instead)
> (EDITED : Bad practice to put a full res image into a thread - post a link instead)
In the specific case of the images from the MER website I would post the respective thumbnail as plain image linked to the full res picture. The thumbnail is only 1KB.
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/p/1192/2P232203123EFFATAZP2364R7M1.JPG
Here is the 360 degree panoramic view taken on Sol 1187
with the L0 Navcam.
jvandriel
Is Spirit even moving? I mean, they are at this side of home plate forever now. The sun won't be much higher in the sky and the wheel won't get better. Have they made a significant discovery or are there problems?
Analyst
Yes, we're all wondering... week after week and it goes nowhere, Give us a clue?
I don't know if that's what they're doing, but
remember that an APXS and Mossbauer set
of observations can take two to three days.
Last move was yestersol (1201) and based on the imaging sequence names for that sol, and on the fhaz too, it looks like Spirit made http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-05-20/2N232989136EFFATCXP1902R0M1.JPG.
Spirit might not be moving very much, but the scenery here is fascinating...
Nice colorization, Stu.
The second one is part of the pancam mosaic I referred on my previous post. Here is what has been downlinked up to now (9 out of 12 pointings), in B&W.
Color mosaic from 1202, couple more pointings yet to be downloaded.
Well, it looks like I lost http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=3868&view=findpost&p=90561.
Spirit is back again on the edge of HP.
http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/rear_hazcam/2007-05-23/2R233166104EFFATEEP1314R0M1.JPG
(rhazcam, sol 1203)
Spirit looking around on Sol 1192.
Taken with the R7 Pancam.
jvandriel
BrianL: I don't see why not...and by doing so, it appears that you win 2 cents from Tesheiner.
Here is the 360 degree panoramic view taken with the
L0 Navcam on Sol 1203 and Sol 1205.
jvandriel
Here is the L7 panoramic view taken on Sol 1203.
jvandriel
Lots of layering. I wonder if they will stick around for awhile to determine if the composition changes between the upper and lower layers.
Great image. Fantastic geology. Don't the rover drivers have any respect, they drive over most exquisite sculptures. Actually, the layered material is quite strong as the furthest track crossed a layered rock with no apparent damage.
Check out the tabular rock to the left of center here. Looks like Spirit knocked off a top layer of the rock (visible on the left side of same), and there was a smear of dark soil in between them (still visible on top of the main rock). VERY interesting...
Let's also thank the good people at JPL who are managing our mission...
Spirit moved south today, driving along the rocky edge of Home Plate.
Phil
Spirit's approximate placement on sol 1210 (probably off by a little bit)
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=522363003&size=l
Alan, that false-color mosaic from May 27 is flat-out georgous!
All those layers--the pages of a book I would very much like to read.
A polar projection made with the http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-05-31/ (from sol 1210).
Here is what's said on the http://www.planetary.org/news/2007/0531_Mars_Exploration_Rovers_Update_Spirit.html:
"We're very slowly climbing up onto Home Plate, and along the way doing remote sensing and IDD measurements of the several different layers that make up the eastern part of this plateau," he added. "We're going to cut across caddy-corner the topographic contours rather than climbing straight up." Depending on what Spirit finds, the rover should be up on top of Home Plate sometime next week or the week after that.
From there, it all depends really on what Spirit sees. "The general desire is to stay on top of Home Plate, but follow the outcrop exposures around to the portion that everybody really wants to get to -- the far end or southwestern portion of Home Plate,"
and here is the 360 degree panoramic view from Sol 1210.
Taken with the L0 Navcam.
jvandriel
That's a beautiful 360 view, jvandriel.
The recent PS update said, "But then we got the hint that this was going to be something a little bit different because the Mini-TES saw a high silica signature that had also been seen in other rocks nearby." Might it be that high concentrations of silica were observed in this area of HP, and that is why they stopped to take a look?
"The general desire is to stay on top of Home Plate, but follow the outcrop exposures around to the portion that everybody really wants to get to -- the far end or southwestern portion of Home Plate," said Yen. That was the comment I found most interesting. That end of HP seems to be overlapped by some younger layers. I can't wait to see them.
Polar and Vertical from JV panorama:
Hello
A few days without posting a picture because a lot of work at school...
So, the Sol 1192 panorama, taken with R2 & R7 filters, in the very late afternoon (no hard shadow, is due to dust who decrease sun lighting, or the sun is under horizon?) :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Images_de_spirit-2007.html#Sol1192
And a desktop picture :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Desktop/FinDuSol1192-desktop.png
It's so hard to update himself about rovers status
I've found time to re-catch... time
So, here is two mosaic.
One, taken on Sol 1202, who show Spirit deep tracks :
An other, on Sol 1206, show Home Plate's complex layering :
All resolution here :
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Images_de_spirit-2007.html#Sol1192
Here is the 360 degree Panoramic view taken with the R0 ( Dilo )
Navcam on Sol 1215 with the Dust Devil in the background.
jvandriel
http://astrosurf.com/merimages/Desktop/FinDuSol1192-desktop.png
I'm a long-time lurker, and this is my first post.
This image captures perfectly the beautiful synthesis of science and wonder that Spirit and Opportunity have bequeathed to us. I made it my desktop background on my work computer, and played the 'Guess where this is?' game with my colleagues. Their astonishment and awe when they found it was Mars (and not Nevada or Arizona) was wonderful to behold.
Thanks to all at UMSF for bringing a little bit of magic into the world.
Beautiful as usual, Ant; first thing Monday morning that's going up as my work desktop, too. Thanks, and HAIL ANTS!
The last images are down and here is the complete Panorama
taken on Sol 1205-1206-1208 and 1209 with the L2 Pancam.
jvandriel
From the most recent http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/navcam/2007-06-10/2N234768251EFFATI4P0165L0M1.JPGit looks like Spirit has moved off the edge of home plate and is about to explore some more exposed silica?
That was a surprise, wasn't it? Thanks for the metadata update, Mike. I just can't believe how smoothly I am spinning around in these MMB panoramas. I thought I saw several interesting targets in the pancams they imaged. Who would have expected them to return to silica valley.
I was surprised too when I saw the latest hazcam images.
Let's see if the next status update give us any hint about this decision.
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