Distant Vistas 2 - The view from Cape Tribulation Options

[vikingmars]

I think so. Isn't that it on the left here, for example? [url="http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportunity/navcam/2015-01-

Yes indeed ! Thanks a lot Ngunn, you spotted it !
Here below, please find a quick processing with a comparison with Sol 2195 image (top) showing Bopolu crater

[ngunn]

Nice work. I think it's also visible on the right in these images from yesterday which extend over to Miyamoto too. http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...UBP0705R0M1.JPG

[vikingmars]

Nice work. I think it's also visible on the right in these images from yesterday which extend over to Miyamoto too.

Yes this is it ! Thanks a lot Ngunn

[elakdawalla]

I have this vague recollection that Odyssey is expected to run out of fuel sometime in the next couple of years. Does anyone here know for sure?

As of 2013: Conservative use of Odyssey's remaining fuel should allow it to maintain operations until around 2020. However, one of its four reaction wheels failed in 2012. If a second reaction wheel fails, it will have to transition to thruster-only attitude control, which will burn fuel at a much more rapid rate, resulting in a remaining mission lifetime of 1 to 3 years.

[ngunn]

There's another faint feature visible at the extreme left here (left of charborob's hill) - http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...UBP2361R2M1.JPG

I think that's likely to be the ridge that ends under the t of Miyamoto in the colour map in post 17 - http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...st&p=216406 Charborob's hill is in James Canvin's red circle there.

[ngunn]

An attempt at bringing out the faint feature noted in previous post:

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[stevesliva]

The discussion of Opportunity in 2016 got me wondering when winter is, and it looks like it's the final two months of 2015 and first four of 2016, according to the nice timeline by moreInput here:
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...mp;#entry217352

I was wondering about finding a haven if necessary, and Doppler Radio campaigns perhaps scrounging up some funds for the year.

[monty python]

Doesn't marathon valley run more or less east west, so if it stayed on one side of the valley you would get a good winter tilt?

[vikingmars]

An attempt at bringing out the faint feature noted in previous post:

WOW ! Thanks a lot Ngunn : how nice !

[ngunn]

Now that we have such good views to the SSW here is a link back to the orbital images of Miyamoto rim and surrounding area originally posted by Doug (and isn't it great that those links still work, unlike so many from a few years ago): http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.p...st&p=157420

You can see charborob's hill there, among the rest. I'm still not exactly sure where the 'Mule Ears' are located in the orbital images, nor if they are identical with the two highest peaks of Miyamoto visible now, though that seems pretty likely. Whether or not we are treated to a pancam view of Bopolu on the way, we will surely lose the distant horizon soon as the geologists get down to business with the smectites in the valley.

[ngunn]

There are some interesting features out across the plains here. I haven't checked the azimuths but I'm wondering if this is our best view so far of the Victoria-twin crater off to our southwest: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...ZEP2372L2M1.JPG

Also there's something on the horizon there, possibly Bopolu.

[ngunn]

Definitely Bopolu. I'm looking on a different monitor this morning and it shows up very clearly on this L7.
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...ZEP2372L7M1.JPG
It has a longer 'tail' extending off to the left than I was expecting.

[ngunn]

Bopolu again, though still not the rightmost part: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...29P2374L2M1.JPG

Here is a list (left to right) of all the distant features visible from Cape Tribulation. I hope it's complete, if not please add. (I will insert some relevant post numbers from this thread as edits.)

1/ Iazu, including the prominent northern bluff, nice phil-o-vision from fredk in post 33
2/ Crater south of Iazu, noted by Phil Stooke, post 59
3/ 't-ridge' left of charborob's hill, posts 110/111
4/ 'charborob's hill', noted by charborob and identified by James Canvin, posts 16 and 20
5/ Miyamoto rim, with two nearer hills in front, post 102 for the clearest view - also includes features 4 and 6
6/ Another nearer hill a few degrees to the right of Miyamoto
7/ Bopolu, with 'Victoria-twin' crater in front, posts 4 and 117
8/ '500m crater at 14Km' identified by James Canvin, post 4

We have had clear Pancam views of all of these features except for the left end of 3 (terrain obstruction) and the right end of 7 (no imaging yet).

I still hope that James will do another of his excellent reverse polar views showing all this.

[jamescanvin]

I still hope that James will do another of his excellent reverse polar views showing all this.

It's on my list of things to looks at (along with a near infinite number of other things!)

[ngunn]

Well, I don't know why these full and part frame views were acquired but it almost seems that someone wanted to complete the distant horizon survey. Here is Bopolu complete to it's rightmost flank:
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...29P2377L7M1.JPG

And this looks very much like the '500m crater at 14 km':
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...29P2377L7M1.JPG

Quote James - 'It's on my list of things' - we can ask no more. (It's hardly urgent.)