Hello all, I'm a n b to UnmannedSpaceflight. A geological beginner's question about the L2 pancam image from Sol1091: Is the prominent ridge creating the shadow considered to be the point-of-impact when the crater was formed in the first place? To what extent has the surface-level diameter of the crater expanded over eons?

Del Palmer: Cool.

Yep, would even be a nice new thread/topic.

Interesting little rock at the right side of this image. It appears dark in this filter, but light in the other 2.

1092 PanCam

Opportunity moved on sol 1094 a few meters to a new location. New pics at the exploratorium.
We can clearly see "Hoy" in this navcam image: http://nasa.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportu...R1P0655L0M1.JPG

Roving, roving, roving...


Our little friend moved to almost the other side of the cape few hours ago during sol 1095 and took this 180º navcam mosaic looking north. Bahia Blanca is to the left (west) and cape/bay C3 to the right (east).
Click to view attachment

Brellis
I'll attempt to provide an answer to your questions. Others may correct me. The initial point of impact of the bolide that formed Victoria crater would have been destroyed in the explosion generated by the impact. The ridge that is visible in the middle background of the sol 1091 panorama has been called "the dock" in this forum and "Guam" by the follks at NASA. As far as I know, there has been no 'official' statement of it's origin.

The scalloped nature of Victoria's perimeter strongly suggests that some erosion has taken place since it's formation. How much erosion has occurred has been the subject of some debate.

GORGEOUS views today...

Click to view attachment

The view in the drive direction on Sol 1094.

Taken with the L2 Pancam.

jvandriel

Opportunity looking back on Sol 1095.

Taken with the L0 Navcam.

jvandriel

Selfportrait of Opportunity on Sol 1096.

Taken with the Front Hazcam.

jvandriel

Nice shot! Thanks for posting it.

The view in the drive direction on Sol 1096.

Taken with the L2 Pancam.

jvandriel

Colourful (and hastily-put-together) Cape Desire...

Click to view attachment

Nice local noon shadows and great colour!

While waiting for some fresh images --today's downlink was a bit sparse-- just say that Opportunity has started its sol 1100.

Tesheiner: "...a bit sparse..." That is such a nicely diplomatic way to say it. There are so many fascinating images waiting in the queue, especially pancams, that I am dying to see. Among those are the Ralls of Madrid and Alava, and...Oh heck, I'll just continue to wait unless someone has a better suggestion. I think praising the 1100th sol is a good reason to celebrate.

That has really fascinated me since it was first imaged from the other side of the bay. It appears to be a patch of dark material eroding from a layer between the ejecta and the "relatively intact bedrock."

It truly reminds me in many ways of the dark material we previously discussed in the Halfpipe formation topic. If that stuff really is some kind of patchy residual soil from an earlier period of erosion, it may not be so surprising to discover another patch of it here.

Exactly. Here below is a list of images/mosaics on the queue.

01096::p2373::10::16::0::0::16::2::34::pancam_cape_good_hope_longbaseline_L257R2
01096::p2374::10::8::0::0::8::2::18::pancam_dunes_2x1_L257R2
01097::p2375::10::2::0::0::2::1::5::pancam_dunes_2x1_L2
Click to view attachment
01097::p2376::10::4::0::0::4::1::9::pancam_cape_good_hope_longbaseline_L2
Click to view attachment
01097::p2579::17::13::13::0::0::2::28::pancam_madrid_L234567Rall
01097::p2580::17::13::13::0::0::2::28::pancam_alava_L234567Rall

Given that the plan for sol 1099 was almost all untargeted imaging I thought we would finally see those past sols mosaics downlinked at full resolution, not only via the thumbnails, but it wasn't the case. We'll have to wait and, hope I'm wrong, probably it won't be today because sol 1100 imaging plan is drive-related and that takes priority over other data.

PS: For those who haven't seen it, those "pancam_dunes_2x1" mosaics point to the dark dunes at the base of capes D1-D5.

The view looking down on Sol 1094.

Taken with the L2 Pancam.

jvandriel

I wasn't up to starting a new thread, but this is past Bahia Blanca. The hoped for pancams are not yet down, but the Sol 1100 look back is one of the best ever. Here is my interpretation of this panorama.

Click to view attachment

STUNNING, Cosmic Rocker, thanks! A great way to start the day... even if I do have to head out to work in 20 mins...

Best shot of Victoria from the ground yet Cosmic Rocker.
More capes than a Batman convention.

Roy F

While looking at the images from sol 1100 I found that they tested what is called VTT (Visual Target Tracking, one of the new software capabilities) during the drive in that sol. There are some references about VTT on the net, including this one on the status report of sol 992:


Here below is a navcam image from sol 1098. The rover moved on that direction on sol 1100, passing by a group of peebles seen on the top/right quadrant.
(click to enlarge)

That group of rocks was the target, as can be seen on this pancam from sol 1100 named "pancam_VTT_1_L2R2" and taken immediately after starting the driving manouver.


The same group was imaged again at mid-drive (pancam sequence "pancam_VTT_2_L2R2"), then Opportunity left for its destination in the middle of Cape of Good Hope.


It looks like it was "right on the money".
In any case, I hope they don't use this feature on the "lump" or "Hoy". Just in case.

Ahh, I was wondering why they were focussing on those rocks. (It's the geologist in me). Thanks for the explanation.

Tosol (1102) imaging plan includes this sequence:

01102::p2379::10::12::0::0::12::2::26::pancam_cape_good_hope_pt1_3x1_L257R2

Part #1? Are we seeing the first part of a 180º color mosaic? I hope so.

> Part #1? Are we seeing the first part of a 180º color mosaic? I hope so.

Disregard it.
Opportunity is planned to move today (sol 1103). And given the heading (216º) of the post-drive navcam mosaic my take is that the rover will drive towards the lump to take shots of this side of Cabo Corrientes.

Sol 1102 micro imager pics out of focus...

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all...nity_m1102.html

Victoria Crater.

The L0 Navcam view on Sol 1100.

jvandriel

Here is my version of the

Sol 1100 R2 Pancam view.

jvandriel

Here's the animation of VTT in action:

Wow. Just wow. Thanks for posting that Pando.

Wow, that VTT looks quite impressive.
I wonder how much of this new programming will be adapted for use in the MSL, or even upgraded?

Those rovers are so much smarter than when they launched. Target tracking, ability to find dust devils, and reasonably accurate 5-wheel driving capabilities.

Good animation, Pando!
And the filename too: http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/4994/littlestonehengero3.gif

Wowowow!!!

By the way this babies evolve I only expect to see them building a house and having small rovers...

They're both girls!!!

Ha!

I'm tempted to make further societal comments, but I'll refrain.

Are The Rovers Male or Female???

Would they give birth to a little Ustrax???

Only if they go to an abyss together...

Wondering if a big HUG would be enough...

Here is the complete Panoramic view of Victoria Crater.

Taken with the L0 Navcam on Sol 1103.

jvandriel

Looking back on Sol 1104.

Taken with the L0 Navcam.

jvandriel

Wow, what a mess... can't make much sense out of that view...

Click to view attachment

Bit of a jumble, all right. Wonder if this is the side of the rim that catches the prevailing winds? Might accelerate erosion locally.

Just a "bump" to this thread...

Yestersol (1106) was time to take a 12pos (6x2?) B&W mosaic of Cabo Corrientes.
Today is a driving sol (images expected in an hour or two) and tomorrow another mosaic fromof Cabo Corrientes, this time in color.

"from" should be of?

Yup. Thanks!

New update at the MER website.

sol 1097-1103, March 07, 2007: Opportunity Checks Out 'Cape of Good Hope'

It's fun to guess about WHEN we're going in -- but (as I sure has already been noted), this will be dictated by WHERE we go in. My money is on Duck Bay, which by coincidence was our arrival point at Vicky. Gradual slope, and steep cliffs on the left to probe on the way down. In other words, Steve is not going to look this gift horse in the mouth, or tempt the fates. A flat out drive back of what -- 20-30 sols? (But! I have not considered sun angle on Oppy if we went in there . . .)

We are way past Bahia Blanca and Cabo Corrientes so I think it's time to open a new thread.

Bay C5, after Cape of Good Hope

Here is the panoramic view taken on Sol 1096

with the L2 Pancam.

jvandriel