To the Cape!, Quackmire and arm troubles Options

[fredk]

I measure 3.7 metres distance. That means it's about 1.5 cm in diameter.

It appears to be a rover part. As Tesheiner pointed out, it's not visible on sol 1418. Here are two navcam shots from slightly closer, on sols 1450 and 1462. In both it's quite clear that there's nothing at that position. But on sol 1486 there is something there. According to Tesheiner's map, we drove just upslope of that position on sol 1484, which is consistent with when it appears in the imagery.

[climber]

What's the little "thing" at 8 hours visible on sol 1450 and 1462 and no longer visible on 1486 ?
Is the "thing" moving ?

[algorimancer]

Hortonheardawho...did a 3-D that really makes it an interesting item
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hortonheardaw...in/photostream/

Looks like a spring or a portion of a spring. Color would clinch it, but the coil direction seems to be clockwise with elevation, and the end of the wire seems to be at about 7 or 8 o-clock.

[fredk]

I agree it looks like a spring. Here's a slightly improved image, the average of the two R1 frames we have, and enlarged 100%:

Any ideas what part of the rover this could come from?

[akuo]

Hmm, maybe it's a part of wire covering that has dropped off. Some wires were cut by explosive cutters after the landing. It looks like it might be a part of a wire maybe from the back of the rover, for example visible in the rear hazcam:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...BKP1314R0M1.JPG

[Aussie]

You have to admire Hortonheardawho's eye for detail although a control comparison (another rock or berry in the frame) supporting Horton's comment that the brightness is comparable to the surrounds would indicate if the close match is significant. But the object at 11 o'clock does seem to fit the coil diameter. If there is a connection between these two then the wire proposal seems less likely.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hortonheardawho/2571699228/

Say, what is the penalty for littering on Mars?

[Tesheiner]

As Tesheiner pointed out, it's not visible on sol 1418. Here are two navcam shots from slightly closer, on sols 1450 and 1462. In both it's quite clear that there's nothing at that position. But on sol 1486 there is something there.

I would really like to see a pancam taken during this timeframe looking on that same area, if there is any.

Back to the sand trap topic, I was pleased to see that the planned sequences for sol 1559 contains a "normal pattern" of drive imaging ("penultimate" and "ultimate" hazcam pics). Opportunity is ready to leave this area.

[climber]

Driving in the "object" direction?
Wondering if they're aware of it

[fredk]

I would really like to see a pancam taken during this timeframe looking on that same area, if there is any.

Me too. I couldn't find any pancam imagery from closeby. The imagery from the top of Verde is too far away to show the object if it was there. Frustratingly, we were very close to the spot on sol 1484 and this navcam shot just misses it - the object is just below the bottom of the frame. I'm skeptical of Horton's second object - there are other similar cobbles around. I can't imagine that they haven't noticed it, climber - it's so obvious in the pancam imagery.

As far as the new drive, we have from this update:

Once the rover's wheels are free, Opportunity will head for a staging area to make more observations of the Cape Verde promontory. The staging area is about 15 meters (49 feet) away

[Tesheiner]

I tried using the search options at the pancam site (something like "all pancams from sol X to Y and azimuth between A and B") and no luck.
Actually I got a "drive direction" image from that same sol 1484, but it has a pointing similar to the navcam you linked. It misses the area by a few degrees.

Let's see if they survey this area again on the way back from Cape Verde some months in the future...

> The staging area is about 15 meters (49 feet) away

If I did my math correctly, that's almost at the wall!

[BrianL]

If I did my math correctly, that's almost at the wall!

If they are talking about driving directly toward the wall, not angling up or down.

Brian

[jamescanvin]

I think after The Quackmire and arm trouble, now would be a good time to start a new thread for the real approach:

To the Cape! (part 2)

[fredk]

A 3D view of the glorious mess we made, pulling out of the Quackmire on sol 1559: