NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover returns spectacular selfie and vistas of majestic rock formation

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From NASA Perseverance rover may still find its place in the Crater lake, but in the meantime, the Curiosity rover has fun taking selfies in a fascinating rock formation.

Since 2014, Curiosity slowly but steadily climbed the 3 mile high Mount Sharp, located in the middle of Gale Crater. NASA on Tuesday revealed new images of the rover which were captured earlier this month.

On March 16 and 26, Curiosity took 60 images using the Mars Hand Lens Imager on its robotic arm and 11 using its Mastcam, located on its “head”. He captured an impressive rock formation called Mont Mercou – named after a mountain in southeastern France.

In the selfies, as well as an accompanying pair of majestic panoramas, taken on March 4, Mont Mercou can be seen to the left of the rover. The formation is 20 feet high.

“Wish you were Here!” the rover tweeted with the selfie.

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used two different cameras to create this selfie in front of Mont Mercou, a rocky outcrop 6 meters high.

NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS

Using his drill, Curiosity acquired a rock sample near the formation – the 30th sample collected to date. NASA scientists named the sample Nontron, after a French village near Mont Mercou.

The names were chosen for this part of the mission because Mars orbiters previously detected nonronite, a type of iron-rich clay mineral found near the French town in the region.

The rover’s drill turned the sample into dust and returned it safely to his body for further study using his internal instruments. Scientists hope to learn more about the rock’s makeup – and possibly uncover secrets from the planet’s past.

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its Mastcam instrument to take the 32 individual images that make up this panorama of the outcrop nicknamed “Mont Mercou”. It took a second panorama, rolling to the 13-foot side, to create a stereoscopic effect similar to a 3D viewfinder. The effect helps scientists get a better idea of the geometry of the sedimentary layers of Mount Mercou, as if they were standing in front of the formation.

NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS

The sample was collected during the rover’s transition from the “clay unit” to the “sulphated unit” of its ascent – an area scientists believe could reveal how Mars went from a potentially habitable planet billions of years ago to the frozen desert planet it is today.

Until perseverance arrival Just over a month ago, Curiosity was the only rover currently active on the Red Planet. The two rovers are located approximately 2,300 miles from each other.

Perseverance is now busy preparing the Ingenuity helicopter for its first flight in April – marking the first flight to another planet. After that he will start his chase away for old life.

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