Latest news with #Mastcam-Z
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Mars Looks Strangely Familiar in Stunning New Panorama
With just a splash of color, the red planet's horizons can look remarkably like our own – blue skies and all. A 360-degree panorama, taken by the Perseverance Rover on Mars, could just as easily have been snapped in a rocky desert somewhere here on Earth. The difference lies in a subtle tweak to the color contrast. Related: "The relatively dust-free skies provide a clear view of the surrounding terrain," says planetary scientist Jim Bell, the principal investigator of the rover's 'eyes' – the two cameras of the Mastcam-Z instrument. "In this particular mosaic, we have enhanced the color contrast, which accentuates the differences in the terrain and sky." The only time the red planet's skies should look this blue is during a sunset – the opposite of the color scheme we see here on Earth. Yet with just a hint of color enhancement, the resulting landscape is strangely familiar. Looking through Percy's eyes across the jagged rocks, ripples of sand, and rolling hills, you can almost imagine you are standing in the Atacama desert. That stark similarity is precisely why NASA scientists are testing future rovers in the Chilean desert. Already, they have successfully detected molecular evidence of life there "in one of the most biologically sparse environments on Earth," according to a 2023 paper published in Astrobiology. The hope is that one day, these new-and-improved rovers will join Perseverance, Opportunity, and Curiosity on Mars to accomplish similar feats. But seeing the red planet through an Earthly lens is like wearing rose-tinted glasses. It sure looks promising, but as you can see from the natural-color version of the image, there's a lot that sets Mars apart from the Atacama. As the fourth planet from the Sun, Mars receives less than half of the sunlight that Earth does, and the volume of its atmosphere is less than 1 percent of that of Earth's atmosphere. Whether remnants of ancient life can exist under such hostile and destructive conditions remains to be seen… possibly with Percy's own two eyes. Related News The Perseids Meteor Shower Peaks This Week: Here's When to Look Up Atlanta Home Struck by Meteorite Older Than Earth, Study Finds 36 Billion Suns: Record Black Hole Discovery Could Be as Big as They Get Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
What would Mars look like under an Earth-like blue sky? NASA's Perseverance rover just showed us
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. NASA's Perseverance Mars rover continues to beam home incredible sights from the Red Planet surface. This week, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) released an enhanced-color mosaic of 96 separate images taken by Perseverance on May 26, 2025 that together create an 360-degree panorama of a location on Mars called "Falbreen." This area contains some of the oldest terrain Perseverance has ever explored on the Red Planet, according to JPL. The image was taken on a day when the skies above NASA's Perseverance rover were clear, enabling the robotic explore to capture "one of the sharpest panoramas of its mission so far," according to a JPL statement. The panorama was taken with Perseverance's Mastcam-Z instrument and depicts a rippling surface nearby as well as hills in the distance some 40 miles (65 kilometers) away from the rover. One of the most striking elements of the image is the blue skies overhead — but don't be fooled. The Mars' skies never appear blue like Earth's, and only appear to be blue in the panorama due to processing. "The relatively dust-free skies provide a clear view of the surrounding terrain,' Jim Bell, Mastcam-Z's principal investigator at Arizona State University, said in JPL's statement. "And in this particular mosaic, we have enhanced the color contrast, which accentuates the differences in the terrain and sky." Aside from the blue sky, there is another element in this image that Perseverance's science team is excited about. A large rock visible to the right of the center of the mosaic is an example of what geologists refer to as a "float rock," in reference to a rock that was transported to its current location by water, wind, or even a landslide. This particular float rock sits atop a crescent-shaped ripple of sand, but the Perseverance science team "suspects it got here before the sand ripple formed," according to the statement. Also visible in the image is an abrasion patch, a 2-inch (5-centimeter) area of the Martian surface into which Perseverance drilled with its diamond-dust tipped grinder known as the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT), capable of spinning at 3,000 revolutions per minute. A raw, more close-up image taken by Perseverance's Mastcam-Z instrument on the same day shows the abraded patch of the Martian surface in greater detail, revealing multiple cracks in the Red Planet's weathered surface. Perseverance landed on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021 in a multi-stage sequence that included an atmospheric entry capsule. The capsule had opened to deploy a landing vehicle featuring a "sky crane" that lowered the rover safely to the Martian surface before flying away and crashing at a safe distance to avoid damaging the rover. The roughly car-sized 2,260-lb (1,025-kilogram) Perseverance landed in a region of Mars known as Jezero Crater. Since then, it has been scouring the area for interesting geological features and collecting samples that NASA hopes to one day return to Earth. However, the fate of that Mars Sample Return program hangs in the balance due to widespread budget cuts at NASA. Private companies have offered to step in, but whether or not we will ever see Perseverance's samples brought home remains unknown. Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
5 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
NASA's Perseverance rover captures its clearest Mars panorama
NASA 's Perseverance rover has captured its most detailed and vivid panorama of the Martian landscape to date. Taken on May 26, 2025, at a location known as 'Falbreen,' the image is a 360-degree mosaic stitched from 96 high-resolution photos. Enhanced in color, the stunning panorama features unusually clear skies and an optical illusion of blue, adding a surreal twist to the red planet's traditionally dusty appearance. This milestone in visual clarity showcases the power of Perseverance's imaging tools and offers scientists a sharper look at the ancient geology surrounding Jezero Crater. NASA's Mars team strikes gold at Falbreen Falbreen, the location of the panorama, is situated near the top of Jezero Crater's rim, one of Mars' most geologically rich areas. The imaging team took advantage of a rare stretch of dust-free weather to capture details from rock textures to distant hills over 40 miles away. The site includes sand ripples, boundary lines between ancient terrains, and a mysterious 'float rock' that may have been transported by natural forces long ago. While the Martian sky is typically reddish due to fine dust particles, this panorama's enhanced-color version shows it in a deceptive blue hue. In reality, the clear skies were ideal for imaging, and color enhancement was used to accentuate contrast and geological differences, making features stand out more vividly for scientific analysis. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Remember Him? Sit Down Before You See What He Looks Like Now 33 Bridges Undo Precision from Perseverance The Mastcam-Z instrument, mounted on the rover's mast, captured the images on Sol 1516 (Martian day), providing researchers with unparalleled clarity. At the center-left of the mosaic is an abrasion patch, Perseverance's 43rd rock abrasion, used to expose the interior of a rock for further analysis. The rover's robotic tools allow scientists to investigate the mineral makeup before drilling and collecting core samples. Falbreen's terrain may be among the oldest Perseverance has explored. With its distinct contact zone between olivine-rich and clay-bearing rocks, the area could hold crucial clues about Mars' geological past and potentially its habitability. By combining visual, chemical, and contextual data, researchers aim to deepen our understanding of Mars' formation and evolution. NASA's Mars program continues to push boundaries, with Perseverance laying the groundwork for future human exploration. As acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy said, 'Vistas like that of Falbreen are just a glimpse of what we'll soon witness with our own eyes.' The mission, part of NASA's broader Artemis to Mars roadmap, underscores humanity's bold steps toward putting boots on the Martian surface in the decades ahead.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Earth or Mars? See the 'deceptively' clear blue sky spotted on the Red Planet
The Martian forecast will almost always include a red sky, but a recent panorama captured by NASA's rover Perseverance shows what a blue sky would look like on the Red Planet. Iron in the dust on Mars is what gives the planet its rusty hue. In its natural color, a photo taken at a location dubbed "Falbreen" is very red. In the name of science, imaging teams enhanced the color-contrast on the image to reveal more details. Largest Chunk Of Mars Discovered On Earth Sells At Auction For $5.3 Million The final panoramic image is a mosaic of 96 images taken at a location by the Perseverance rover. "The relatively dust-free skies provide a clear view of the surrounding terrain," said Jim Bell, Mastcam-Z's principal investigator at Arizona State University in Tempe. "And in this particular mosaic, we have enhanced the color contrast, which accentuates the differences in the terrain and sky." The image below is not enhanced and shows the true reddish tint of the clear Martian sky. Cool Rocks: Nasa's Mars Rover Shows Off Its Rock Core Collection The bright white patch in the image left of the center is where Perseverance drilled its 43rd hole since its landing. Drilling into the red rock and dirt allows the rover's science team to see what is below before deciding to take a sample. Eventually, the Mars Sample Return mission will bring back some of these samples to article source: Earth or Mars? See the 'deceptively' clear blue sky spotted on the Red Planet Solve the daily Crossword
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Science
- Economic Times
NASA's Perseverance rover delivers high-resolution Mars panorama from Jezero Crater rim
Synopsis NASA's Perseverance rover has captured one of its sharpest panoramas yet from the Jezero Crater rim on Mars. The enhanced-color mosaic, assembled from 96 Mastcam-Z images, reveals 'float rocks,' sand ripples, and a geologic boundary, providing detailed views of some of the oldest terrain explored during the mission NASA's Perseverance rover captured this enhanced-color panorama from the Jezero Crater rim on Mars, showing float rocks, sand ripples, and a geologic boundary between olivine-rich and clay-bearing rocks NASA's Perseverance rover has produced a high-resolution panorama from a location called 'Falbreen' on the rim of Jezero Crater. The mosaic, assembled from 96 images taken by the Mastcam-Z instrument on May 26, 2025, the mission's 1,516th Martian day, or sol, offers one of the clearest views recorded so enhanced-color version of the image shows the Martian sky with a blue tint, while the natural-color version reveals its typical reddish hue. 'Our bold push for human space exploration will send astronauts back to the Moon,' said Sean Duffy, acting NASA administrator. 'Stunning vistas like that of Falbreen, captured by our Perseverance rover, are just a glimpse of what we'll soon witness with our own eyes. NASA's groundbreaking missions, starting with Artemis, will propel our unstoppable journey to take human space exploration to the Martian surface.' Also read: Trump orders NASA to kill 2 satellites that can function for many more years - the reason will shock all Jim Bell, principal investigator for Mastcam-Z at Arizona State University, noted that relatively dust-free skies gave a clear view of surrounding terrain. Enhanced color contrast was applied to highlight differences between the terrain and sky. Geologic features include float rock and boundary line The panorama features a large rock situated atop a dark, crescent-shaped sand ripple about 14 feet (4.4 meters) from the rover. Known as a 'float rock,' it likely originated elsewhere and was transported to its current location, possibly before the sand ripple notable element is an abrasion patch near the image's center, marking the 43rd rock Perseverance has abraded. The patch, two inches (5 centimeters) wide, allows scientists to study the unweathered interior of a rock before deciding to extract a core sample. The abrasion was made on May 22, followed by proximity science observations on May from the rover's path to Falbreen are visible along the mosaic's right edge, curving left toward a prior research site called 'Kenmore.' Midway through the panorama, lighter-toned olivine-rich rocks transition to darker, clay-bearing rocks that are believed to be much Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by Caltech, operates Perseverance for NASA's Science Mission Directorate as part of the Mars Exploration Program. Arizona State University leads Mastcam-Z operations in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems.
