Layered Martian Outcrop ’Shaler’ in ’Glenelg’ AreaFriday 22 February 2013
Mission: Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity. Instrument: Mastcam. The NASA Mars rover Curiosity used its Mast Camera (Mastcam) during the mission’s 120th Martian day, or sol (Dec. 7, 2012), to record this view of a rock outcrop informally named "Shaler." The outcrop’s striking layers, some at angles to each other in a pattern called crossbedding, made it a target of interest for the mission’s science team. The site is near where three types of terrain meet at a place called "Glenelg," inside Gale Crater. The area covered by the image spans about 3 feet (90 centimeters) in the foreground. The image has been white-balanced to show what the rock would look like if it were on Earth. |
