PDS logoPlanetary Data System
PDS Information
Find a Node - Use these links to navigate to any of the 8 publicly accessible PDS Nodes.

This bar indicates that you are within the PDS enterprise which includes 6 science discipline nodes and 2 support nodes which are overseen by the Project Management Office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Each node is led by an expert in the subject discipline, supported by an advisory group of other practitioners of that discipline, and subject to selection and approval under a regular NASA Research Announcement.
Click here to return to the Photojournal Home Page Click here to view a list of Photojournal Image Galleries Photojournal_inner_header
Latest Images  |  Spacecraft & Technology  |  Animations  |  Space Images App  |  Feedback  |  Photojournal Search  

PIA16814: Sky Gets Dustier Between Opportunity's Sols 3296 and 3301
 Target Name:  Mars
 Is a satellite of:  Sol (our sun)
 Mission:  Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
 Spacecraft:  Opportunity
 Instrument:  Hazcam
 Product Size:  2048 x 1024 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  JPL
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA16814.tif (2.099 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA16814.jpg (128.4 kB)

Click on the image above to download a moderately sized image in JPEG format (possibly reduced in size from original)

Original Caption Released with Image:

These two images, taken five Martian days (sols) apart by the front hazard-avoidance camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, document the Martian sky above the rover's Endeavour Crater location becoming dustier.

The image on the left was taken during Sol 3296 of Opportunity's mission on Mars (May 2, 2013). The one on the right was taken during Sol 3301 (May 7, 2013) with the rover at the same location but its arm in a different position. In between those dates, local-scale dust storm activity west of Opportunity's location had reduced clarity of the sky over Opportunity. Effects can be seen in the Sol 3301 image. Note the softened shadow of the rover and the obscured horizon on the right.

The location of the rover when these images were taken was on the "Cape York" segment of the western rim of Endeavour Crater. During this period Opportunity was investigating the rock target "Esperance," which is on the pale patch of rock just to the left of the shadow of the rover's arm. After that investigation, the last planned for Cape York, the rover team plans to drive Opportunity toward a segment of the rim to the south, called "Solander Point."

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech

Image Addition Date:
2013-05-10