[X] My Assistant

[Astro0]

No time to watch an Earth sunset Shaka.
As you know, I spend all my days and nights on Mars.
If I'm not tracking Rovers, I'm drawing them.
I'm off to play with Photoshop now.
See you tosol.
Astro0

[dilo]

I'm a little worried by dust accumulation in the last weeks...
Look at these sundial pictures taken with L456 filters:

I have impression that there was a worsening especially in the last month (look to the colors degrade on the corners).
I know this could be due to slightly different light conditions and image compression, but there is a trend also looking to other pictures...

[Ant103]

Here the first part of the big pano that Spirit will build on his Winter Quarter location :



This is the first -I believe- that Spirit take picture toward horizon in full resolution and with all the filters. It reveal the good colors of the site.

Dilo : it's very clear the fact that some dust are deposing on the rover. It's unhappyness

[Bill Harris]

>I'm a little worried by dust accumulation in the last weeks...

That is worrisome, but looking at the ground at Spirit's feet you can see that this locale can be quite windy. Likely, the wind is seasonal but I'm not sure of the current cycle. Even though this is Winter and the Sun is lower and heats the ground less, the overall temperature is also lower: thermal winds rely on temperature differences in the air and the potential for mid-afternoon winds (or night winds from the air cooling and sinking into the valley) is present.

--Bill

[Tesheiner]

Meanwhile, "McMurdo" panorama is slowly being shooted and downlinked.
This is what's available for the time being (in L7 filter):

(700k)

[djellison]

Q'n'A is done, just waiting for Emily to put it on TPS website - but Jim said they have about 10% of the whole thing down, and the L7/R1 will be uncompressed, and the remaining filters will have very little compression.

Doug

[mhoward]

It's a bit late to the party, but here is the MMB perspective view of the sunset mosaic:



Here is the MMB view of the big pan so far (L7 filter), and an anaglyph view that I haven't even tried out yet:


And a couple more just for perspective:


Enjoy.

[Nix]

Thanks for those views Michael, good too see Spirit included..

and you being late..makes for a good excuse to party just a bit longer

Nico

[elakdawalla]

Q'n'A is done, just waiting for Emily to put it on TPS website...

Posted! http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=2665

[Astro0]

The Q&A was brilliant. Really well done.
Thanks to Doug and Emily for all their work.
Great insight into the mission from Jim Bell.
More! More! More! Please

Astro0

[CosmicRocker]

I just wanted to jump in and say that the look-back at Home Plate, Husband Hill, and El Dorado that all of you people have been collaborating on is truly breath-taking. I've always had trouble picking my "favorite" view, as captured by our beloved rovers and artistically interpreted by the masters here. But, if ever there was one, this must be it.

[Astro0]

If someone can give me a good indication of where Earth would be seen in the Low Ridge Haven image, I'm happy to oblige.
In the meantime, take a look at my own version of 'A Moment Frozen in Time' to which I added an Earth-star. Just for effect only and as always, not portraying any scientific accuracy.
After all it is an "artist's impression" for heart-warming value only.

Enjoy
Astro0

[Joffan]

Notwithstanding your "not portraying any scientific accuracy" diclaimer, I'm going to push a little for detail....

If that's Spirit, she must be looking at a midwinter sunrise for Earth to get so far down toward the horizon. (If it's Opportunity she's really travelled a long way...) Spirit is about 15deg S, Mars tilt is 25deg, I don't know about Earth's orbital inclination relative to Mars but it ain't much.

Oh, and, it's still a lovely picture.

[Stu]

Thanks to everyone who's worked so hard on the various versions of the "Solset panorama". Little something for you here over on the "Rover related writing" page...

[sattrackpro]

Notwithstanding your "not portraying any scientific accuracy" diclaimer, I'm going to push a little for detail....

If that's Spirit, she must be looking at a midwinter sunrise for Earth to get so far down toward the horizon. (If it's Opportunity she's really travelled a long way...) Spirit is about 15deg S, Mars tilt is 25deg, I don't know about Earth's orbital inclination relative to Mars but it ain't much.

Oh, and, it's still a lovely picture.

Perhaps some may not 'get' Astro0's picture of earth - it's there, and properly a tiny dot (see my muck-up of his picture with red arrow pointing to earth below.) Yes, that's Spirit, perched on Jibsheet, and it's a sunset - but properly speaking earth, of course, wouldn't be there in the sky over Mars at that time. It is indeed a lovely picture - but one that puts earth in the picture for perspective, contemplation and simple artistic purposes.

Astro0 - correct me if I'm all wet...

(edited) - oh, was I wrong! The outcrop is Jibsheet, and it's a sunset - image from Cornell's Pamcam site.

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