Since leaving "Victoria Crater," Opportunity has picked up the pace of driving. In the 90 sols (Martian days) since exiting the crater, Opportunity has driven more than 1,800 meters (1.1 miles), three times the distance that was required for the original prime mission. Scientists expect to encounter younger rocks the farther south the rover travels. They also expect to find small rocks ejected onto the landscape during formation of nearby craters. To reach these things, the rover must avoid sand traps as much as possible.

Opportunity acquired this mosaic with the navigation camera on the rover’s 1,683rd Martian day, or sol (Oct. 18, 2008), of exploration.