Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2021 March 6

                          Perseverance Takes a Spin
                 Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Mars 2020

   Explanation: After arriving at Jezero Crater on Mars, Perseverance went
   for a spin on March 4. This sharp image from the car-sized rover's
   Navcam shows tracks left by its wheels in the martian soil. In
   preparation for operations on the surface of the Red Planet, its first
   drive lasted about 33 minutes. On a short and successful test drive
   Perseverance moved forward 4 meters, made a 150 degree turn, backed up
   for 2.5 meters, and now occupies a different parking space at its newly
   christened Octavia E. Butler Landing location. Though the total travel
   distance of the rover's first outing was about 6.5 meters (21 feet),
   regular commutes of 200 meters or more can be expected in the future.

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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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