Sunset Postcard from Mars

Using pictures obtained from the Opportunity rover around January 27, 2012 (Sol 2847), Don Davis created the following sunset picture from the Endeavour crater site on Mars:



Full resolution image: planetary.org...

At the bottom of the image you can see the sand covered rover with "blueberries" and hematite deposits near the rover. You can also see the hilly rim of the Endeavour crater near the top of the image. In the full resolution image, you can also see impact craters on the rim.

planetary.org...

More of Don Davis's work here: www.donaldedavis.com...

Pretty cool picture.

It kinda looks like a river bank with the sky reflecting off of the water.

He really made Mars look 'Earth like'.

Here are the original images he stitched together to form the final mosaic:

marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov...

He described the process as follows:

"The preliminary jpeg images were difficult to match due to lighting and shadow changes between exposures. I leveled and cropped and freely distorted the original mosaic, and editorially approximated the actual colors of the dusty sundial rather than using the odd colors the actual filter set uses, which is optimized for getting the subtle color differences across the scene."

www.planetary.org...

The rover is covered with dusty sand, which reduces it's power supply, especially during the Martian winter. The only way to clean it is by waiting for winds to blow it off. The next rover, MSL, is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (like Viking 1 and 2) so it's power supply wont be effected by the blowing sand.

Dusty Rover

Enchanting...someone must have hand ache at Nasa from removing all the extra "data",if you know what I mean

reply to post by paperface


Probably one of the MOST unsubstantiated and unsupported claims made recently on ATS.

And, a statement that sullies the beauty of this thread, and flies in the face of science, logic and reason.

reply to post by ProudBird


Rub the lamp and the genie appears!

You are determined to spoil these forums for people with a genuine belief I notice.

I usually scroll straight past when I see your avatar pic,tonight not so lucky

Imagine that ,an alien vehicle visiting a distant planet.
Its a good thing that Humans from earth are the only one's with that technology,or else there may be Aliens sending probes to earth.

reply to post by paperface


A "genuine belief" in what?:

You are determined to spoil these forums for people with a genuine belief I notice.

Space Exploration?? That is the Forum, here.

On the contrary, I firmly "believe" in space exploration. I heartily support it. But, there is a place for science (this Forum) and there is a place for ridiculous speculation about the planets (those Forums devoted to "fringe" beliefs, and "highly speculative"....surely, the claims of "NASA cover-ups" can be banged on about in those locations).

reply to post by paperface


You're right, how dare he spoil your belief which has no factual basis, sullies the reputation of numerous scientists, and prevents honest discourse. People like him who insist on science and facts rather than unintelligent and undefensible beliefs need to just go!!

On topic, that must have taken a very long time, and is simply breathtaking.

reply to post by OccamsRazor04


I think the issue here is how do we discuss a unknown, namely that data that was supposedly removed by the evil NASA? We could speculate indefinitely about all the buildings, lifeforms, UFOs etc that were removed. If you want I can photoshop in some interesting buildings

Should we just automatically disbelieve anything NASA shows us? What would we be left with?

If anything, data was added as the artist stitched together the separate images. I would have liked a discussion on if the colors looks right for example, or how long it will take the rover to get to the other side of the crater. Will the rover even go into the crater or just go around the rim?

Beautiful picture.
Thanks for sharing it OP. Definitely had to save it

Would be nice if they left the sky blue.

reply to post by Ixtab


That doesn't really hold true.

Around sunset and sunrise the Martian sky is pinkish-red in color, but in the vicinity of the setting sun or rising sun it is blue. This is the exact opposite of the situation on Earth. However, during the day the sky is a yellow-brown "butterscotch" color.[3] On Mars, Rayleigh scattering is usually a very small effect. It is believed that the color of the sky is caused by the presence of 1% by volume of magnetite in the dust particles.

en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by reaxi0n


You mean something like this?



In the OP picture the sun is behind the rover, so we don't see the setting sun.

The martian dust particles suspended in the thin atmosphere lend the sky a reddish color, but the dust also scatters blue light in the forward direction, creating a bluish sky glow near the setting Sun.

www.dailygalaxy.com...

reply to post by Nicolas Flamel


Yes exactly, that's why the quote contained "but in the vicinity of the setting sun or rising sun it is blue."

Thanks for a picture to show what was meant.

I just wanted to point out that the entire sky isn't blue

reply to post by Nicolas Flamel


Heres one considered the True Color of the Surface on Mars ...

i297.photobucket.com...

reply to post by Nicolas Flamel


There is no chance the rover will ever attempt to go down the crater for three very glaring reasons. Upper rims of craters are typically very steep, vertical drops are common. If the rover survives that, the rims have lots of loose 'soil' and the little rover has very small wheels, in fact the little rover is so small it would likely be half buried by the slope surface shake. The rover has very little torque but enough to dig itself in (Spirit). Lastly depending on the position of the slope to the sun, the little rover could lose a lot of its solar power due to shade.

Curiosity is heading to the Gale crater with a plutonium decay RPG power system, to warm its scientific equipment and to have available power in the shade, night, winter, virtually 100% of the time it is there, and the estimated half life of the unstable isotope can be 88 years.

A lot of people are unaware that the two rover power down for the duration of the Martian winters, which last about as long as an earth year.

Oh, the color of the Martian sky can vary depending on, amount of dust in the 'air', angle of the sun/season, and angle towards the camera.

reply to post by Nicolas Flamel


That is kind of my point, rather than discuss the work that was presented, which is amazing, the discussion jumps to NASA is evil and removed evidence of "insert conspiracy".

People need to stop doing that, it is an insult to anyone and everyone involved in the making of this "postcard", as well as the OP, and those of us who have an interest. If someone wants to think it's true, fine, go make a post about it, dont insert it into someone elses post that has nothing to do with it.

Here's a real photo of Mars.



Just kidding.

But i always wondered how these rovers are able to take such clear images while covered in dust.
Couldn't find any info either.

reply to post by jaden_x

But i always wondered how these rovers are able to take such clear images while covered in dust.
Couldn't find any info either.

I don't think the fine dust clings significantly to the mostly vertical surface of the camera lenses. Some does, of course. Photo in the article linked below mentions it.

But, dust accumulation on the solar panels does pose a greater problem, sometimes:

Mars rovers face fallout after dust storm

Of course, that article is from 2007......before Rover Spirit died completely.