Curiosity at Murray Buttes on Mars
Explanation:
What are these unusual lumps on Mars?
As
NASA's robotic
Curiosity rover continues rolling across
Mars,
it is now approaching
Murray Buttes.
Several of the 15-meter high buttes are
visible ahead in this
horizontally
compressed
360-degree across image
taken inside
Gale Crater
earlier this month.
The buttes are thought similar to
Earth buttes in that they are
capped with dense rock that is relatively resistant to
erosion.
In the image center is
Curiosity's "arm" and "hand"
used to
examine rocks up close,
drill into rocks,
and collect samples.
Curiosity has reached its
four year anniversary
on Mars and has been cleared to spend the next two years further exploring the slopes
of
Mount Sharp,
the peak of which is the distant light-colored structure visible on the far left.
Interactive View:
YouTube 360-degree tilt and scroll image version
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
