Desolate Mars: Rub al Khali
Explanation:
Sometimes on
Mars,
there is nothing to see but red sand.
Traveling two kilometers south of
Endurance Crater, the
robotic rover Opportunity now exploring Mars stopped
and took a 360 degree panorama of a desolate and
rusted Martian landscape.
The site was dubbed
Rub al Khali
for its similarity to a barren part of the
Saudi Arabian
desert on
Earth.
In the center of the frame,
the tracks from the rover's grated wheels can be
seen receding far into the distance.
Near the bottom, several parts of Opportunity itself are recorded,
including, on the far right, a
Martian sundial.
Nearly 100 images in three colors to generate the
above spectacular real-color image mosaic.
To display the full high-resolution image would require about 300
computer monitors -- or one good
large format printer.
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.
