Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
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                                2021 April 8

                                3D Ingenuity
                 Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, MSSS, ASU

   Explanation: The multicolor, stereo imaging Mastcam-Z on the
   Perseverance rover zoomed in to captured this 3D close-up (get out your
   red/blue glasses) of the Mars Ingenuity helicopter on mission sol 45,
   April 5. That's only a few sols before the technology demonstrating
   Ingenuity will attempt to fly in the thin martian atmosphere, making
   the first powered flight on another planet. The historic test flight is
   planned for no earlier than Sunday, April 11. Casting its shadow on the
   martian surface, Ingenuity is standing alone on four landing legs next
   to the rover's wheel tracks. The experimental helicopter's solar panel,
   charging batteries that keep it warm through the cold martian nights
   and power its flight, sits above its two 1.2 meter (4 foot) long
   counter-rotating blades.

                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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