Is this one of the coolest pictures you've ever seen?

I like the rover's shadow. Any chance it will reach the dunes at the bottom?

I think there's a chance. I heard they are seeing strong indication of basalt in them thar dunes and are curious to check it out but they are worried about taking Oppy down the sandy slopes to get there. So far it has deliberatly stayed on bedrock to avoid getting stuck.

If I had to place any bets, I'd say it will...eventually.

And, yeah, very cool picture...added to my personal collection.

alien, really something to look at.
I can only hope they check out the dunes, maybe spin a wheel and dig a little?
Wonder if that shiny stuff below the wheels now is really as slick as it looks.

Note also the continuing two "Razorback" strips running from lower right to upper left in the picture. Those things seem to extend very far down into the crater -- presumably they're from water oozing up through a couple of radial fractures produced in the rock by the impact that formed the crater. And that means a lot of -- recent -- water.

Opportunity has moved even further into the crater:

http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...00P1312L0M1.JPG
http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...12P1310R0M1.JPG

Was just about to post the same thing - a LOT futher into the crater

I think they're trying to get to the little outcropping just to the right of the dunes

http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/pre...-B174R1_br2.jpg

Doug

I think that's where they are headed too. Surely that outcropping can't be far from the dunes?

Surely the slopes are going to decrease as they approach the bottom so I'd think whatever slippage the material presents would be offset by the flatter surfaces.

thing is - dunes = very soft and dusty - whereas much of the rest of the crater is more like bedrock. I wouldnt want to drive this thing into the dunes - perhaps get a little closer - but certainly not into it

Doug

I got stuck in sand once so can appreciate not wanting to charge right into the dunes.
I didn't have to worry about cameras and solar arrays getting covered with dust either.
Mars is full of surprises , just thought as long as they were in the neighborhood they might run over an edge of the dune and see if it goes "crunch" or something. I also thought some of the remote sensing equipment might be more accurate the closer it was ? Not just the dunes on that last but maybe other items of interest on the far side.