[X] My Assistant

[Zelenyikot]

Little veins in Shaler on Sol 322

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[SFJCody]

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/news?id=news/...nhoff-road-trip

We have started the long traverse to the base of Mt. Sharp (Aeolis Mons), the long-term goal of the mission! It may take a year to get there, depending on how many interesting features we find along the way. The challenge for the science team will be to identify the most important targets along the way, and to study them without delaying drive progress too much. Today we are planning targeted observations, followed by another drive over the weekend.

Here we go then! Mountain bound! Looks like a new thread may be in order, too.

[dvandorn]

The dune fields are multi-toned, it shows up in the HiRISE images and shows up better in the Curiosity images (at least as far as the fine color delineations are concerned).

I also think we need to remember that the human eye tends to apply a contrasting color level to what is essentially gray if it is in contrast with a reddish color. It's been especially true on Mars that what may appear greenish or bluish is actually a pretty neutral gray, the eye seeing a bluish or greenish tint in the absence of the surrounding red.

My best guess is that the dune fields are primarily varying shades of gray, and when we're looking at them from a close-up vantage point we'll see a range of tones from light gray to a dark, almost black gray. (Of course, there is going to be at least a little of the ubiquitous red dust mixed in there, but not a whole lot, from the way it looks from a distance.)

-the other Doug