[X] My Assistant

[Tesheiner]

If someone can make use of this 4 frame location map...enjoy.

Sure! Added points 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Now what I would like to see is an SFX rover on that slope.

OT: It's time for a xmas avatar.

[Astro0]

Quote: Tesheiner - "Now what I would like to see is an SFX rover on that slope."
Based on your wheel position references, here's a SFX Spirit.


Enjoy
Astro0

[jvandriel]

Here is the 360 degree panoramic view
taken with the R0 Navcam on Sol 1407

jvandriel

[fredk]

Thanks for the SFX view, Astro0!

Officially we're at 13 degrees - from the latest spirit update:

Spirit has achieved 13 degrees of northerly tilt after backing the rear and middle wheels over the north edge of "Home Plate," where the rover will remain during the coming holidays. Power levels have already increased significantly from 260 watt-hours on sol 1404 (Dec. 15, 2007) to 291 watt-hours on sol 1408 (Dec. 19, 2007).

Spirit's ideal northerly tilt at present would be 16 degrees, and the rover's handlers plan to have the rover creep farther down the slope in mid-January to increase the northerly tilt. On Spirit's current track, they expect to see an ultimate northerly tilt of 25 degrees to 30 degrees.

[Shaka]

I don't know where they expect to more than double the current tilt, but I can't see it around here.
Further west?

[MarsIsImportant]

As spirit goes done the slope, the tilt will significantly increase. Not a problem.

They expect the tilt to increase to 25 upto 30 degrees on its current track down this particular slope.

[Aussie]

Shaka, Astro0's SPX is a little visually misleading as it is portraying a deck tilt of around 35 degrees. Without all wheels on the slope the slope is only at 13 degrees which is pretty much optimal for the current sols. As it moves further down the slope as winter sets in it will indeed increase the deck tilt to match that of the slope.

[Shaka]

Gotcha, Oz. Sometimes I forget these composite images are not fair dinkum views from nonexistent cameras - that's how skilled Astro0's tend to be!

[CosmicRocker]

Nice work, Astro0. I just now noticed that you obscured the old tracks to make that view resemble what might be seen today.

I can see how the panels will be tilted more steeply when the front wheels come to the edge, but I can't see how Spirit will manage to acheive 25-30 degrees at this location.

[Tesheiner]

Many thanks, Astro0!

[Astro0]

I don't think that 25 degrees will be impossible. We certainly have faith in the MER drivers, engineers and the visual team to work this out, don't we!?

For the SFX image, I went with Spirit at a (just under) 25 degree panel tilt (use the deck's centreline not the edge) even though we weren't at that angle yet. The image was done before the most recent Spirit update and was done for artistic purposes as opposed to scientific accuracy....and I wanted to fulfill Tesheiner's request for someone to try and create the view.

On the attached image, I've added a graphic to indicate the angles as they stand currently and what they would like to achieve. I think that with the wheels a little further over the edge of HP, that the angle and expected power boost at 25 degrees or more is very achieveable.


Enjoy
Astro0

[jvandriel]

A short animation of Spirit driving off Homeplate.

jvandriel

[Ant103]

Hi,

Very low martian imagery activity (very busy at school). But, now it's holidays, and here is a short mosaic of Winter Haven 3 :


I began to lose my excitement about imagery processing . I'm a little tired of making big panos (maybe is it due to my very old laptop...).

[Ant103]

Merry Christmas all

A set of color pics from sols 1389 & 1391 :

[nprev]

Absolutely killer as usual, Ant; thanks yet again!!!

(I feel your pain re an ancient laptop, BTW; mine turned 4 years old in August. Check out the post-Christmas sales starting tomorrow... )