NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has captured fascinating videos of its own shadow moving across the Martian surface. These videos were recorded during a 12-hour sequence on November 8, marking the 4,002nd Martian day of the mission. To capture this footage, the rover utilized its black-and-white Hazard-Avoidance Cameras, also known as Hazcams.
What makes these videos even more remarkable is that they were taken during the Mars solar conjunction – a period when the Sun is positioned between Earth and Mars, affecting radio communications. This occurrence caused the mission to reduce the rover’s activities temporarily. However, the team behind the mission decided to utilize the Hazcams to capture snapshots, hoping to gather information about weather phenomena such as clouds or dust devils.
Despite their best efforts, the images did not reveal any significant weather patterns. Nevertheless, the videos still provide a captivating display of time passing from morning to evening, showcasing Curiosity’s silhouette gradually shifting.
The first video was captured by the front Hazcam, showcasing a southeast view along Gediz Vallis on Mount Sharp. The second video, on the other hand, was taken from the rear Hazcam, displaying a northwest view down the slopes of Mount Sharp to the floor of Gale Crater.
It is worth noting that the videos have undergone re-projection to correct for the wide-angle lenses. However, the speckled appearance in the footage is a result of Martian dust settling on the lenses over the past 11 years.
Curiosity, the Mars rover responsible for these incredible videos, was constructed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. The mission is led by JPL on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
These unforgettable videos captured by Curiosity provide a glimpse into the daily life of the Mars rover, demonstrating its ongoing exploration and the remarkable achievements made possible by the dedicated efforts of NASA and its team.
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