[X] My Assistant

[Tesheiner]

They're travelling west, to get on the northern slope of the small features to the south of HP

There are still some 40m to that little hill on the center of tosol (805) navcam images but there is really an urgency to "be there" given that Spirit seems to be already at a northern slope?

BTW, have a look to the fine layering on this navcam image: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/na...KMP0755R0M1.JPG

[djellison]

currently - it's on a mild, what I think is a NE facing slope

10 - 20m more and it'll be on a good N facing slope, perfect winter sun-lounger stuff

Doug

[jvandriel]

Here is the pancam L1 panorama taken on Sol 799.

jvandriel

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[jvandriel]

Here is the left navcam panoramic view taken on Sol 805.

jvandriel

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[sattrackpro]

Here is the left navcam panoramic view taken on Sol 805.

jvandriel

Thanks very much jv! I tried and tried to put that together, and nothing I did would make it right. (I use an old copy of photostitch that came with my Canon camera, and it's lousy - and I've not become familiar with all the settings on the free version of autostitch yet )

Has anyone you know tried the commercial version of autostitch? (Is it 'worth it' - at $99?) Probably is... I guess I've just not worked up the desire high enough yet.

[Tesheiner]

BTW, have a look to the fine layering on this navcam image: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/na...KMP0755R0M1.JPG

Better seen on this pancam image: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/spirit/pa...KMP2405R1M1.JPG

[Bob Shaw]

Has anyone you know tried the commercial version of autostitch? (Is it 'worth it' - at $99?) Probably is... I guess I've just not worked up the desire high enough yet.

In the UK you'll find a *free* copy of Realviz Stitcher 3.x on the covermount CDs of many digital photo magazines from time to time. The commercial version of that program is up to v5.1, and costs about £400. There are also 'student' versions which are rather cheaper (£80 for one such, though the website keeps changing whenever I go back to it so don't take my word for it!). The big features of Stitcher are that it can create QuickTime VR, and it has *lots* of 'pro' controls, even with the free version.

http://www.realviz.com/

Samples at:

http://stitcher.realviz.com/gallery/index.php

http://www.gillesvidal.com/picdumidi[1].htm

Bob Shaw

[RNeuhaus]

Here is the left navcam panoramic view taken on Sol 805.
jvandriel

Again thanks to jvandriel.

Observing the surface, there is evidence that that zone has soft winds since there are small ripples caused by winds. Of course, it is not so strong as the ones on the top of Hill Columbia (marked ripples caused by winds). However, the top of the hill is most naked (more stones) and I seems that that zone is better for wind cleaning.

It is a some hope for cleanning the already dirty Spirit.

Rodolfo

[jvandriel]

Here is the complete 360 degree panoramic view from Sol 805 and Sol 806.

Taken with the L0 navcam.

Look at all the wheeltracks.

jvandriel

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[jvandriel]

The same view but now more centered on the wheeltracks.

jvandriel

Sattrackpro,

read the Tech, General and Imagery thread regarding Autostitch.

It will give you a lot of help.

jvandriel

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[Shaka]

The same view but now more centered on the wheeltracks.

jvandriel

Just what we need, JVan! Now, who's going to perform the heroic deed of applying transparent color washes in red, yellow, green and blue to all the surrounding topography indicating winter energy supply? It will become our indispensable tool for planning winter activities.

[helvick]

Good news from SS via New Scientist
20% boost due to a tilt of 11.5deg so power should be back at around 390whr/sol.
This makes a very significant difference at just the right time, she's not totally safe as power in this position still dips to 257whr for a couple of Sols around Sol 954 and she will still be spending from Sols 891 to 1024 below the critical 280whr point.

Prior to this she was heading for a minimum of 207whr/Sol and would have spent from sol 828 to 1125 below 280.

Yellow line is the revised power curver (extrapolated from 390whr on Sol 807)
Pink Line is the previous estimate (extrapolated from 330whr on Sol 794)

[sattrackpro]

Thanks Bob, for the info on ‘Stitcher’ – and thanks too, jv – for the pointer to the Tech, General and Imagery postings.

I haven’t yet been able to find a free version of Stitcher, but in fiddling with autostitch settings a bit more using the guide provided by one of Tesheiner’s posts, I came up with the view below of five exploratorium navcam images dated 2006-04-10 (don’t know what Sol date applies.) I really like the ability of autostitch to figure out, on its own, where to put the images.

It looks like Spirit has only to drive a short distance now in order to sit and bask in the Northern sun and get those batteries charged up as well as the dust allows.

(edit: replaced prior image with slight adjusted...)

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[FIN Mars]

again Magma rocks. but now very large. http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/p...KMP2405L7M1.JPG
why spirit not drive to obert now?

[SigurRosFan]

Spirit is safe at Low Ridge Haven!

- http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/d...-to-safety.html (Last minute diversion takes Mars rover to safety)

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"We've got a safe rover," say principal investigator Steve Squyres. Spirit is now parked with about 11.5° of northerly tilt, towards the Sun. Squyres told New Scientist: "We're much, much safer than we've been in quite a while. That's huge news for us."

Spirit reached Low Ridge Haven over the weekend and as a result, the rover's power supply has been bumped up by as much as 20%, Squyres says.
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