Cape York - Northern Havens, Sol 2780 - 2947 Options

[nprev]

I don't know, but if Oppy's going to stay put for a bit over the winter it seems logical to try to obtain similar data.

Not at all surprising, and in fact a smart use of resources.

[jvandriel]

Color Pancam images from Sol 2817 and 2818 L257 and L456
stitched together.

Jan van Driel

[mhoward]

what is this? are they trying to recover some of the Spirit "fixed lander" data? any info?

Yes; it was discussed in the latest monthly rover update at planetary.org.

"If Opportunity parks with a 15-degree tilt, we should be able to do some of the radio science," Arvidson said. "It's the most energy intensive activity we could do, so it will depend on what's happening with the dust factor and with the opacity. But our intent is to go in with the radio science experiment limited by energy. It really is the most important thing to do if we can afford the energy – and having a good place where we can get a good southeasterly wind fetch."

"We will stay put for a while, for as short a time as we can and we will get as much radio science done as we can in the time that we stay put," said Squyres. "But as soon as we have enough power to boogie, we're going to boogie."

[Bill Harris]

Here is a recent image taken off the bowsprit of Oppy ...processed for detail.
Of the 4 major plates of rocks in the image, is that a gypsum vein above the northwest plate?

It's probably not Gypsum, probably it's just an ochre-colored zone that is coincidentally linear.

This rock is a good example of the reworked impactite I've mentioned. The large rock is is probably an earlier impact breccia which has been subsequently disturbed, fractured and cast by a later impact, and which was apparently covered by later ejecta or weathering detritus and tilted up by the Endeavour impact and exposed to erosion. It's had a full life...

[Matt Lenda]

from the latest mission update:
what is this? are they trying to recover some of the Spirit "fixed lander" data? any info?

Extended HGA 2-way Doppler measurements to find out things about the interior structure of Mars. We would have done it with Spirit had she survived last winter. Need a few hours of data a week to be meaningful.

Man, I've been totally AWOL and I have no idea what's going on with Oppy! Tuesday morning will be interesting when I got back on that tactical horse...
-m

[Bill Harris]

Good. I like blue and sparkley. Sky Flats (P2440) is a nice place to visit.

--Bill

[PDP8E]

Here is an image off the front of OPPY on SOL 2819 , a little after 1:00pm local time.

[jvandriel]

The Pancam L257 view on Sol 2820
stitched together.

Jan van Driel

[mhoward]

Here's the first frame of the just-started Greeley Pan. L257R21 - ideal for color stereo. I'm very excited that eventually (presumably) we should have a whole 360º color stereo panorama from this location. If we must stand still for a while, at least maybe we'll get something in return for it.

[kungpostyle]

Winter Haven:

http://www.space.com/14154-mars-rover-oppo...nter-haven.html

[Stu]

Just made a 3D view which I think works pretty well, but too big to post here, so if you'd like to see it please wander over to my blog...

http://roadtoendeavour.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/3d3.jpg

Trying to find a name given to that feature and failing miserably...

[mhoward]

Trying to find a name given to that feature and failing miserably...

"Bedrock Foreground"

[Stu]

Wow, they thought long and hard about that one, eh..?

[fredk]

A couple of notable comments from the latest PS update:

“The radio science experiment will be the first priority, and the second priority will be Mössbauer data to get at the iron mineralogy of the Shoemaker Formation, and then the third priority is to get a beautiful Pancam panorama of Greeley Haven,” said Arvidson. “If it turns out that after 40-60 hours the Mössbauer data looks really neat then we’ll probably continue the integration, go into the winter low time, and then come out the other side and get even more hours.”

For each of the experiments in its winter science campaign, it's best if Opportunity stays parked in place, although the rover can move a little, up to a meter, Arvidson pointed out, “as long as we track locations within centimeters using visual odometry."

[PDP8E]

On SOL 2810 Oppy's right front wheel was imaged 9 times during what seems to be an engineering test.
This is an animation that goes forwards then backwards before repeating (is there a word for that?)
The left wheel, also imaged at the same time for 9 images, does not move (other than the shadows advancing).