Photos from Mars, and Video of the Curiosity’s Landing
This certainly is not the first probe or rover to be sent to Mars, but for some reason, it seems like it to me. Perhaps it is due to the very intricate landing – which went off without a hitch, or perhaps it is simply due to the internet these days. Information and photos are available worldwide the very moment they are uploaded. I believe – with me, anyway – it is a combination of both. I have been completely enthralled with Curiosity and look forward to years of data sent back to earth.
Here is the video of the landing. Now, these are thumbnail stills and is a low-res stop-motion affair displaying 297 frames as it found its way from space to a foreign land. Trust me — it’s worth the 1:03 time investment. Also, please do not be an ignorant critic like the trolls who have commented on YouTube in the comment section of this video. Thumbnail stills are much faster to send to earth. The better footage will arrive soon. Just like Heinz ketchup and Anticipation – it’s worth the wait.
Curiosity’s Descent
Here are some newer photos displayed in chronological order, ending with a photo taken today, August 8th, 2012.
In this image released by NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona, NASA’s Curiosity rover and its parachute, left, descend to the Martian surface on Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012. The high-resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera captured this image of Curiosity while the orbiter was listening to transmissions from the rover. The inset image is a cutout of the rover stretched to avoid saturation. The rover is descending toward the etched plains just north of the sand dunes that fringe “Mt. Sharp.” (AP Photo/NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona)
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This image taken by NASA’s Curiosity shows what lies ahead for the rover — its main science target, informally called Mount Sharp, Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. The rover’s shadow can be seen in the foreground, and the dark bands beyond are dunes. Rising up in the distance is the highest peak of Mount Sharp at a height of about 3.4 miles (5.5 kilometers), taller than Mt. Whitney in California. The Curiosity team hopes to drive the rover to the mountain to investigate its lower layers, which scientists think hold clues to past environmental change. This image was captured by the rover’s front left Hazard-Avoidance camera at full resolution shortly after it landed. This image has been linearized to remove the distorted appearance that results from its fisheye lens. (AP Photo/NASA/JPL-Caltech)
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Same image as above but has not been linearized to remove the distored appearance from the fisheye lens. (AP Photo/NASA/JPL-Caltech)
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This image released on Tuesday Aug. 7,2012 by NASA shows the first color view of the north wall and rim of Gale Crater where NASA’s rover Curiosity landed Sunday night. The picture was taken by the rover’s camera at the end of its stowed robotic arm and appears fuzzy because of dust on the camera’s cover. (AP Photo/NASA)
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This image released by NASA on Wednesday Aug. 8, 2012 taken by cameras aboard the Curiosity rover shows the Martian horizon. It’s one of dozens of images that will be made into a panorama. Curiosity landed on August 5, 2012 on a two-year mission to study whether its landing site ever could have supported microbial life. (AP Photo/NASA)
Source:
KLEWTV: Curiosity sends back flood of new views from Mars
Engadget:Â NASA’s Curiosity captures awe-inspiring shot of Mount Sharp, uploads video of descent upon Mars
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mesmerizing…
Eerie but beautiful.
Dear Michelle, I wish that the space program didn’t cost so much. It is one of the very few things that the government does that really excites me in a good way. I hope that they find that we humans are not only not alone, but are not so unique as to lord it over everyone else and every thing. There would be a lot of debate if an armadillo like creature with big eyes looked into one of the cameras. Then pulled out a microfiber cloth and dusted off the lens!
Phillip
NASA would then be scrambling to do what it takes to put a man on Mars. That’d be hilarious if something did peer into one of the cameras.