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.

                               2020 January 26

                      Hills, Ridges, and Tracks on Mars
    Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, MSSS; Processing & Copyright: Thomas
                                   Appere

   Explanation: Sometimes, even rovers on Mars stop to admire the scenery.
   Just late last November the Curiosity rover on Mars paused to
   photograph its impressive surroundings. One thing to admire, straight
   ahead, was Central Butte, an unusual flat hill studied by Curiosity
   just a few days before this image was taken. To its right was distant
   Mount Sharp, the five-kilometer central peak of entire Gale crater, the
   interior of which Curiosity is exploring. Mount Sharp, covered in
   sulfates, appears quite bright in this colorized, red-filtered image.
   To the far left, shrouded in a very dark shadow, was the south slope of
   Vera Rubin ridge, an elevation explored previously by Curiosity.
   Between the ridge and butte were tracks left by Curiosity's wheels as
   they rolled forward, out of the scene. In the image foreground is, of
   course, humanity's current eyes on Mars: the complex robotic rover
   Curiosity itself. Later this year, if all goes well, NASA will have
   another rover -- and more eyes -- on Mars. Today you can help determine
   the name of this rover yourself, but tomorrow is the last day to cast
   your vote.

                  Help Name the Mars 2020 Rover: Vote here!
                    Tomorrow's picture: evaporating comet
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
                NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

--- hpt/lnx 1.9.0