This animation shows several zoomed-in views of the rock dubbed "Humphrey" following its successful grinding with the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's rock abrasion tool. These microscopic images were taken at varying heights to bring the rock surface into focus. By combining these images, scientists can also create three-dimensional models. The images were acquired on the 60th martian day, or sol, of the rover's mission by its microscopic imager. The observed area is 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across.
Name | Value | Additional Values |
---|---|---|
Target | Mars | |
System | ||
Target Type | Planet | |
Mission | Mars Exploration Rover (MER) | |
Instrument Host | Spirit (MER-A) | |
Host Type | Rover | |
Instrument | Microscopic Imager (MI) | Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) |
Detector | ||
Extra Keywords | Grayscale, Movie | |
Acquisition Date | ||
Release Date | 2004-03-09 | |
Date in Caption | ||
Image Credit | NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS | |
Source | photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05522 | |
Identifier | PIA05522 |