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.

                               2019 October 29

                 Curiosity Rover Finds a Clay Cache on Mars
                    Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, MSSS

   Explanation: Why is there clay on Mars? On Earth, clay can form at the
   bottom of a peaceful lake when specific minerals trap water. At the
   pictured site on Mars, the robotic rover Curiosity drilled into two
   rocks and found the highest concentration of clay yet. The clay cache
   is considered addition evidence that Gale Crater once held water in the
   distant past. Pictured, 57 images taken by Curiosity have been combined
   into a selfie. The images were taken by a camera at the end of its
   robotic arm. Many details of the car-sized rover are visible, including
   its rugged wheels, numerous scientific instruments, and a high mast
   that contains camera "eyes", one of which can shoot out an infrared
   laser beam. Curiosity continues to roll around and up Mount Sharp -- in
   the center of Gale Crater -- in a search for new clues about the
   ancient history of Mars and whether or not the red planet once had
   conditions that could support life.

                     Tomorrow's picture: orion in detail
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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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