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Spirit image, view from "Larrys Lookout", Aug 5, 2004.
Spirit image, overview of Gusev, April 13 2005
Opportunity image of Endurance crater, June15 2004
These BB-sized "blueberries" are believed to be some of the best evidence for
water on Mars. The blueberries are concretions formed when a body of salty
water evaporated. They are now eroding out of the rocks.
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The
Mars Exploration Rovers , Spirit and Opportunity
landed on opposite sides of Mars and are exploring regions that are very
different. As of the time I write this, the rovers are healthy and both have
operated well over a year beyond their expected "warranty
dates". More discoveries are expected as both rovers continue to
explore further into their respective landing regions.
Spirit landed in a large basin called
Gusev crater and found a dry and rocky region with (initially) no hint of
past water. However, Gusev appears to have a water story after all, as
hints of mineral deposits are seen in some the weathered rocks found as
Spirit climbs further up into the Columbia Hills. The area Spirit landed in is
quite dusty and as a consequence Spirit was suffering a loss of power generated
by its solar panels. However, a passing dust devil gave Spirit a free cleaning
and a new lease on life. Several active dust devils have been photographed by
Spirit.
Opportunity landed on the Meridiani plain
and discovered a vastly different region that apparently was one time soaked in
water! Opportunity had the great fortune of landing in a small crater with
several rock outcrops. Evidence gathered in these outcrops found them to be
almost certainly sedimentary deposits left when a shallow salty body of water
evaporated. Further exploration in another crater named "Endurance" found that
deeper and older layers of rock have a similar water story suggesting the
Meridiani region was soaked for a large chuck of Martian time (perhaps millions
of years). At the time I write this Opportunity is heading further south, into
an area of ridged terrain.
MarsQuest
Online also has a great gallery of Spirit and Opportunity photos.
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