NASA's Mars Curiosity rover beams back dramatic selfie and panoramas at majestic rock formation
NASA's Perseverance rover may still be finding its footing in the Jezero Crater, but in the meantime, the Curiosity rover is having a blast taking selfies at a fascinating rock formation.
Since 2014, Curiosity has been slowly but surely climbing the 3-mile-high Mount Sharp, which is located in the middle of the Gale Crater. NASA revealed new images from the rover Tuesday that were captured earlier this month.
On March 16 and March 26, Curiosity snapped 60 images using the Mars Hand Lens Imager on its robotic arm and 11 using its Mastcam, located on its "head." It captured an impressive rock formation called Mont Mercou — named after a mountain in southeastern France.
In the selfies, as well as an accompanying pair of majestic panoramas taken on March 4, Mont Mercou can be seen to the left of the rover. The formation is 20 feet tall.
"Wish you were here!" the rover tweeted with the selfie.
Using its drill, Curiosity acquired a sample of rock near the formation — the 30th sample it's collected so far. NASA scientists have named the sample Nontron, after a French village near the actual Mont Mercou.
The names were chosen for this part of the mission because Mars orbiters previously detected nontronite, a type of iron-rich clay mineral found close to the French town, in the region.
The rover's drill turned the sample to dust and tucked it safely inside its body for further study using its internal instruments. Scientists hope to learn more about the rock's composition — and maybe uncover secrets of the planet's past.
The sample was collected as the rover transitions from the "clay-bearing unit" and the "sulfate-bearing unit" of its ascent — an area scientists believe could reveal how Mars transitioned from a potentially habitable planet billions of years ago to the frozen desert planet it is today.
Until Perseverance arrived a little over a month ago, Curiosity was the only rover currently active on the red planet. The two rovers are located about 2,300 miles apart.
Perseverance is now busy preparing the Ingenuity helicopter for its first flight in April — marking the first flight on another planet. After that, it will begin its hunt for ancient life.