PIA06920: 'Wopmay' Rock


‘Wopmay’ Rock

Caption:

Click on the image for 'Wopmay' Rock (QTVR)
Click on the image for 'Wopmay' Rock (QTVR)

This approximate true-color image taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows an unusual, lumpy rock informally named "Wopmay" on the lower slopes of "Endurance Crater." The rock was named after the Canadian bush pilot Wilfrid Reid "Wop" May. Like "Escher" and other rocks dotting the bottom of Endurance, scientists believe the lumps in Wopmay may be related to cracking and alteration processes, possibly caused by exposure to water. The area between intersecting sets of cracks eroded in a way that created the lumpy appearance. Rover team members plan to drive Opportunity over to Wopmay for a closer look in coming sols. This image was taken by the rover's panoramic camera on sol 248 (Oct. 4, 2004), using its 750-, 530- and 480-nanometer filters.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Mars
System
Target Type Planet
Mission Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
Instrument Host Opportunity (MER-B)
Host Type Rover
Instrument Panoramic Camera (Pancam)
Detector
Extra Keywords Color, Crater, Water
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2004-10-07
Date in Caption 2004-10-04
Image Credit NASA/JPL/Cornell
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06920
Identifier PIA06920