Amazing 360 degree panorama on Mars.
Mars.
Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity.
Sol 1,647. Friday 24th March 2017.
Amazing 360 degree panorama of an area known as 'Ogunquit Beach' on the north west lower flanks of Aeolis Mons. The mosaic used 115 frames from the 34mm, 15 degree field of view wide MastCam (Mast Camera).
Full resolution through the link below.
https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA11241.jpg
This particular site was part of a two pronged investigation into martian sand dunes. Mars is the only planet known other than Earth to have active sand dunes.
The northwest is at both ends of the panorama with the southeast dead centre, with the higher portion of the 5,500 metre / 18,050 foot tall Aeolis Mons, also known informally as Mount Sharp dominating the centre in front.
The weather was a little hazy with some wind-bourne dust, the maximum afternoon temperature was minus 14 Celsius / 7 Fahrenheit, with a dawn low of minus 92 Celsius / minus 134 Fahrenheit, winds were very light, atmospheric pressure 8.3 millibars.
It was late Summer at this location on Mars. Tomorrow, Saturday 6th May 2017 it will be the Martian Equinox, Northern Spring / southern Autumn. From Mars, the Sun currently appears in front of the constellation of Ophiuchus the Serpent Holder.
The bedrock that MSL Curiosity was driving on is the Murray Formation, sandstone layers deposited long ago.
The scene is certainly dried out, sandstone layers, laid down in the very remote past, approximately 4 GYA (4,000 million years ago) when Mars was much warmer and wetter, with a far denser atmosphere than now.
The images were taken whilst MSL Curiosity was climbing the 5,500 metre / 18,050 foot tall Aeolis Mons on the floor of the 4,850 metre / 15,900 foot deep and 154 KM / 96 mile wide Gale Crater, within the Aeolis Quadrangle on Mars.
Text: Andrew R Brown.
NASA / JPL / Malin Space Science Systems. Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity.