Cape Tribulation, Sol 3744 (6Aug'14) - Sol 4077 (15Jul'15) Options

[atomoid]

never get tired of the vistas here sol4014, it will be sad to leave this place despite the smectacles to come..

[jvandriel]

The Navcam L0 view on Sol 4016.

Jan van Driel

[algorithm]

Well, if this doesn't get the crackpots going, I don't know what will !








It must have crashed, then split apart, leaving the aliens internal organs in a heap just behind that piece of what looks like the charred outer hull!!

[elakdawalla]

So fun that an old rover is still finding new and bizarre types of rocks

[climber]

I thought it was a lost Curiosity's weel but I then realize we where on the other side of the planet.

[atomoid]

now we understand the 'lost-time' between sols 4016-->4020 [below includes pre-abduction sol4014 view]

[Phil Stooke]

This is a reprojection of Jan's sol 4016 panorama. I hope we get a full pan later.

Phil

[fredk]

I don't recall seeing little "shavings" like those visible in the 4023 MIs - I'm curious if the geo folk have any suggestions for what may cause them? Here's a cross-eyed stereo view:

Here's the pancam context (the MI field is just below centre):
http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/all/1/p/4...BJP2509L2M1.JPG
And navcam (upper right):
http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/all/1/n/4...B8P1982R0M1.JPG

[Julius]

I am grateful that rover images are posted on the Web for the public to see but it's frustrating at the same time to the lack of scientific info as to what the findings are regarding these rocks at this location. Perhaps it reflects the fact that the science community has not made up its mind yet about these findings?

[elakdawalla]

Dude, the pictures just arrived on Earth. We often see them before the scientists do. Have some patience!

Fredk: I agree with you that those "shavings" don't look like something I've seen before. Very odd.

[fredk]

I am grateful that rover images are posted on the Web for the public to see but it's frustrating at the same time to the lack of scientific info as to what the findings are regarding these rocks at this location. Perhaps it reflects the fact that the science community has not made up its mind yet about these findings?

Depends what you mean by "findings". The best place to hear preliminary results and maybe interpretation from the instruments seems to be the monthly PS updates - the next one should be about 2 weeks from now. The occasional press release might also have some info.

But as far as proper results go, the gold standard is publication, and it can take many months for a paper to appear. The results need to be checked and double checked, the multiple authors' various schedules may not overlap, the paper must go through review, etc...

[Phil Stooke]

Right - and often the information we get back is confusing and incomplete. Opportunity has lost two of its three original instruments for measuring composition. It can take months for the science team to figure out what they are looking at, even to get a decent hypothesis which can then be tested with further observations. So basically, it takes time to figure it out, as well as all the time necessary to prepare a paper or conference presentation. So be patient and enjoy the riches that the cameras provide, which are highlighted here so often. The rest will come.

Phil

[Julius]

Okay dudes got the message..Thanks for the info

[fredk]

Fredk: I agree with you that those "shavings" don't look like something I've seen before. Very odd.

My guess was that these were the result of brushing, but I'm just not sure what that means - very soft rock?

[elakdawalla]

...it takes time to figure it out, as well as all the time necessary to prepare a paper or conference presentation. So be patient and enjoy the riches that the cameras provide, which are highlighted here so often. The rest will come.

Related to this conversation (though having to do with a different rover): Just today a paper was published about the Rocknest sand scooping campaign on Curiosity, which began on sol 57, or 934 sols ago. Science results take a lot of time.