PIA06949: Wonderful Wopmay


Wonderful Wopmay

Caption:

This three-dimensional view from the navigation camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows an unusual, lumpy rock informally named "Wopmay" on the lower slopes of "Endurance Crater." Opportunity took the frames that make up this image on the rover's 250th martian day, or sol, on Oct. 6, 2004. Later, Opportunity investigated the rock with instruments on its robotic arm.

The rock's informal name refers to Wilfrid Reid "Wop" May, a Canadian bush pilot. Scientists believe that the lumps in Wopmay, like traits of "Escher" and other rocks dotting the bottom of Endurance Crater, may be related to cracking and alteration processes, possibly caused by exposure to water. The area between intersecting sets of cracks appears to have eroded in a way that shaped the lumpy appearance. Wopmay measures approximately 1 meter (3.3 feet) across.

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 Navigation Camera (Navcam)
Detector
Extra Keywords Color, Crater, Water
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2004-10-18
Date in Caption 2004-10-06
Image Credit NASA/JPL
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06949
Identifier PIA06949