A snapshot from NASA’s Curiosity rover shows a breathtaking view of an enormous crater on Mars. The image, captured in February, appears to be a vista from a bluff but is actually the rim of the crater, formed when an asteroid slammed into the Red Planet billions of years ago.
The crater is part of Mount Sharp, a three-mile-tall mountain sculpted over time within the crater after the ancient collision. The rover’s data has been converted into a 30-second immersive video, offering a glimpse into the Martian landscape.
According to NASA, the view is reminiscent of “quiet, thin wind” or “waves of a long-gone lake lapping an ancient shore.” The rover has traveled over 352 million miles since its mission launched in 2011 and has discovered unique geology, including salty minerals and elemental sulfur.
In September, Abigail Fraeman, deputy project scientist on the Curiosity mission, explained that the discovery of pure sulfur is puzzling because it’s not typically associated with volcanic activity. Researchers are now studying a “boxwork” landscape, which may have formed with warm groundwater. This region could have hosted ancient single-celled microorganisms, sparking interest in the possibility of life on Mars.
The rover’s science team expects to reach its destination late this fall and will document the unique geology along the way. The Curiosity mission continues to explore the Martian landscape, offering insights into the Red Planet’s transformation from a more Earth-like world to the frozen desert it is today.
Source: https://mashable.com/article/nasa-mars-curiosity-rover-panoramic-video