An idea: What about a sort of animated image with the pancams of last three or four drives?
Full Version: On to Santa Maria!
Great.
An idea: What about a sort of animated image with the pancams of last three or four drives?
An idea: What about a sort of animated image with the pancams of last three or four drives?
QUOTE (fredk @ Dec 1 2010, 05:42 PM) 
We can see quite a bit more of Santa Maria as of 2436.
Probably we are closer to Santa Maria about 130-140 meters. Am I right?
100m.
....and 900 meters to go!
QUOTE (Tesheiner @ Dec 1 2010, 05:09 PM)
Great.
An idea: What about a sort of animated image with the pancams of last three or four drives?
An idea: What about a sort of animated image with the pancams of last three or four drives?
Oh, alright then...
http://twitpic.com/3bzhnf
I stitched the new pan and ran it through the old Astigmatron at Stretch Factor 10 (any more and it's gonna blow, Cap'n).
Phil
Click to view attachment
Phil
Click to view attachment
Phil,
It's amazing how flat most of that image is, even with a 10X stretch!
David
It's amazing how flat most of that image is, even with a 10X stretch!
David
It definitely highlights though, why we haven't been able to view Santa Maria until now (barely.) That's a tidy little basin she's sitting in.
EDIT: I decided I wasn't happy with the 100metre markers image I made.
While I did say that it may not have been accurate, it was probably too inaccurate to be usable and was giving a false impression.
I'd like to see some attempts made at putting a rough overaly on the navcam images though just to get a feel for how far we have to go.
Hey, fredk ...any chance of introducing a few little dark waving men to one of the images?
In the meantime, here's a thought, we are about as far from Santa Maria crater as we were at Duck Bay from the farside of Vicitoria Crater!
Click to view attachment
While I did say that it may not have been accurate, it was probably too inaccurate to be usable and was giving a false impression.
I'd like to see some attempts made at putting a rough overaly on the navcam images though just to get a feel for how far we have to go.
Hey, fredk ...any chance of introducing a few little dark waving men to one of the images?
In the meantime, here's a thought, we are about as far from Santa Maria crater as we were at Duck Bay from the farside of Vicitoria Crater!
Click to view attachment
QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 1 2010, 09:32 PM)
Thanks, Stu. We can clearly see the center section raising from behind the near horizon.
and another view of Santa Maria and Endeavour crater.
Taken with the L2 pancam on Sol 2436.
Jan van Driel
Click to view attachment
Taken with the L2 pancam on Sol 2436.
Jan van Driel
Click to view attachment
It's still a long way as seen in this Navcam view taken on Sol 2436
with the L0 navcam.
Jan van Driel
Click to view attachment
with the L0 navcam.
Jan van Driel
Click to view attachment
QUOTE (Astro0 @ Dec 2 2010, 05:21 AM)
...did a rough overlay on an MMB view and used the 100m line markers and some visible ground features to place some 100m marker posts.
My guess is we're still not seeing very far, and the "near horizon" is blocking most of the view ahead. I can't see in the pancams the ~15 metre diameter crater about 250 metres ahead of the 2436 position. But the little triplet of craters at around 150 metres is now visible. Still, the near horizon looks pretty far, so maybe that 15 m crater has a very subtle rim. All will be revealed soon enough...
Another great read covering November:
http://www.planetary.org/news/2010/1130_Ma...te_Mission.html
http://www.planetary.org/news/2010/1130_Ma...te_Mission.html
Astro naught,
When I hit the expand (+) button on your image I noticed you had actually placed light sabers as 100m markers - well done!
When I hit the expand (+) button on your image I noticed you had actually placed light sabers as 100m markers - well done!
Huh. I can't believe I never noticed that "Astro0" could be read "Astro naught" before. And here I've been saying "Astro zero" all along.
And just so this post isn't completely irrelevant, I'll just point out for those that haven't seen it that we should be another 103m closer to Santa Maria, according to Scott. At least that's a planned 103m. We should have confirmation soon.
And just so this post isn't completely irrelevant, I'll just point out for those that haven't seen it that we should be another 103m closer to Santa Maria, according to Scott. At least that's a planned 103m. We should have confirmation soon.
I read it as Astro-Zero for years
QUOTE (eoincampbell @ Dec 2 2010, 05:10 PM)
Another great read covering November:
http://www.planetary.org/news/2010/1130_Ma...te_Mission.html
http://www.planetary.org/news/2010/1130_Ma...te_Mission.html
One quote from this is about the risks of getting bogged down while crossing old eroded craters, something that we discussed here not too long ago. Here's the quote:
QUOTE
“We're always on the lookout for odd things,” said Arvidson. “The craters we can see we know where they are down to 2 meters across. Now there are a lot of buried craters in this area of Meridiani Planum and we can see them too, because they're circular, kind of palimpsest, eroded down and filled with basaltic sand and hematite concretions. At Meridiani Planum, we're driving across this eroded down bedrock with eroded down craters that are probably buried with the sand. I have paid careful attention when we've driven across some of these buried craters and have seen no change in terms of sinkage or the slip.”
Hence the recent detour to avoid any "suspect" depresssion?
Re Astro, this is strange you didn't notice, he explained the meaning a few time.
Re Astro, this is strange you didn't notice, he explained the meaning a few time.
Yes, Astro0 (naught). I've been known by that nickname for years and of course it's appropriate due to all the Outreach work I do.
Plus my father-in-law calls me by no other name
That's me - an astronaut - totally off the planet.
Plus my father-in-law calls me by no other name
That's me - an astronaut - totally off the planet.
QUOTE (djellison @ Dec 2 2010, 10:48 AM)
I read it as Astro-Zero for years
With a California dialect it's Astro-oh.
(I wonder if now is the time to confess that I haven't lived in Elk Grove for 2 1/2 years...)
QUOTE (ElkGroveDan @ Dec 2 2010, 10:53 PM)
(I wonder if now is the time to confess that I haven't lived in Elk Grove for 2 1/2 years...)
Gosh! Where are you? I'm shocked. (I'm still living in Bethesda, not Maryland). I've only just stopped pronouncing djellison with a G.
100m markers (lightsabers) are gone! Revised post here.
Today's drive: ~ 80 m ???
Santa Maria has been skulking at the edges of the images for a while. It's nice to see it almost centre frame: http://qt.exploratorium.edu/mars/opportuni...00P2355R2M1.JPG
Curiously, there's a crater 150m due east from here which is still invisible; check the map.
BTW, today's drive was 100m.
BTW, today's drive was 100m.
Latest average of L2/R2 frames of Santa Maria:
Click to view attachment
I think we can see the 15-metre crater 150 metres away, but it's very subtle - see white arrow. It looks like it has a smooth rim, without any visible rocky outcrops. Looking back at my Santa Maria view from 2436, I think we can just barely see it there as well.
Click to view attachment
I think we can see the 15-metre crater 150 metres away, but it's very subtle - see white arrow. It looks like it has a smooth rim, without any visible rocky outcrops. Looking back at my Santa Maria view from 2436, I think we can just barely see it there as well.
Sol 2438
Now I'm starting to think we won't have a "scenic overlook" moment until we actually get there.
Now I'm starting to think we won't have a "scenic overlook" moment until we actually get there.
In super-sensational 3D - sorry, I thought I was writing for the SKY TV magazine for a moment there - you really get a feel for how Santa Maria is hidden by a drop in the local terrain...
Click to view attachment
Another couple of drives and we should see her a lot better, I'd say.
Click to view attachment
Another couple of drives and we should see her a lot better, I'd say.
Very nice! I'm trying to decide whether the near horizon is in fact the patch of outcrop running across our path about 70m ahead, with the little crater Tesh mentioned out of sight beyond it?? If so, it's over the top next drive. If it's not, and fredk's right about the little crater, then where is the outcrop that ought to be in front of it?
Endurance did show a bit of cliff at the equivalent distance. Which, btw, was Eagle Crater! Another drive or two, and we will be closer to Santa Maria than Opportunity was to Endurance on Sol 1.
Lion King pan right outside Eagle: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05755.jpg
Lion King pan right outside Eagle: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA05755.jpg
What we saw of Endurance at approximately the same distance :
Click to view attachment
Really different
EDIT : Sorry same idea but too late!
Click to view attachment
Really different
EDIT : Sorry same idea but too late!
Latest on Opportunity from Scott Maxwell's titter. "Oh, my, nearly four hours of drive time thisol -- longer than I thought. We might make it the full 140m after all!"
And also some new crater names from here:
QUOTE
Also doing mid-drive imaging of crater triplet ("Vanguard"), and post-drive imaging should cover Voskhod Crater.
Continuing our series of "How big is it compared to...?", here you can see Santa Maria (left), Eagle Crater (centre) and Endurance (right) all to the same scale...
Click to view attachment
... and also Santa Maria and Endurance magically transported to the interior of Victoria Crater...
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
... and also Santa Maria and Endurance magically transported to the interior of Victoria Crater...
Click to view attachment
QUOTE (ngunn @ Dec 3 2010, 05:29 PM)
I'm trying to decide whether the near horizon is in fact the patch of outcrop running across our path about 70m ahead...
Here are my identifications, using mhoward's 2438 pancam mosaic. Green is a bit of one of the crater triplet (Vanguard?) and black is the 15m crater (Voskhod?). (You can see the rest of the triplet in the neighbouring pancam frame.) I think white is the patch of outcrop you asked about.
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
If we do 140 metres, we should be very close to Voskhod!
Now Fred! You know there's only one way to do this kind of comparison!
Click to view attachment
(please forgive the cheeky filename!)
So your pink circle is really one of the craters, but the black circle is correct.
Phil
Click to view attachment
(please forgive the cheeky filename!)
So your pink circle is really one of the craters, but the black circle is correct.
Phil
QUOTE (Stu @ Dec 4 2010, 03:43 AM)
Continuing our series of "How big is it compared to...?",
Here's one just for you Stu.
Dan... wow... thank you! That is (bleep) brilliant!!!
Edit: thanks, Dan! http://roadtoendeavour.wordpress.com/2010/...-of-santa-maria
Edit: thanks, Dan! http://roadtoendeavour.wordpress.com/2010/...-of-santa-maria
QUOTE (fredk @ Dec 4 2010, 05:36 PM)
Here are my identifications, using mhoward's 2438 pancam mosaic. Green is a bit of one of the crater triplet (Vanguard?) and black is the 15m crater (Voskhod?). (You can see the rest of the triplet in the neighbouring pancam frame.) I think white is the patch of outcrop you asked about.
When I see your images, I feel like Santa Maria is our last stop at a big geology feature before we rush for the next 6 km to Cape York at Endeavour Crater... Our "last chance" science (and beer) saloon ! Click to view attachment
That was indeed brilliant, Dan. Truly inspired.
Phil
Phil
QUOTE (Phil Stooke @ Dec 4 2010, 05:14 PM)
So your pink circle is really one of the craters, but the black circle is correct.
Agreed. Phil-o-vision saves the day! Here's my corrected version:
Click to view attachment
(And the filename is perfect - I've been fighting reality for a long time now!
)
Thanks Fred and Phil for that excellent key to the view ahead. All that's missing is the distance to that near horizon. It seems devoid of features that would make it easy to triangulate. Also it seems to retreat as we advance, as does tend to happen on convex surfaces. All the same there must come a point where convex gives way to concave and all the intervening ground is revealed. Maybe not for another fortnight - or maybe even tomorrow.
Hey, I just opend 4 doors at once today, and yeah, Oppy is faster than ever ...
"Anatolia's"
We have not seen such a long, dramatic, and open, crack in the ground since then--the first months of Oppy's mission. There seemed to be hints of them in this area, but nothing to "fall into". Has anyone seen a scientific treatment of this feature, plus any relation to the ground we are currently traversing?
We have not seen such a long, dramatic, and open, crack in the ground since then--the first months of Oppy's mission. There seemed to be hints of them in this area, but nothing to "fall into". Has anyone seen a scientific treatment of this feature, plus any relation to the ground we are currently traversing?
QUOTE (MarkG @ Dec 5 2010, 04:02 AM)
"Anatolia's"
We have not seen such a long, dramatic, and open, crack in the ground since then--the first months of Oppy's mission. There seemed to be hints of them in this area, but nothing to "fall into". Has anyone seen a scientific treatment of this feature, plus any relation to the ground we are currently traversing?
We have not seen such a long, dramatic, and open, crack in the ground since then--the first months of Oppy's mission. There seemed to be hints of them in this area, but nothing to "fall into". Has anyone seen a scientific treatment of this feature, plus any relation to the ground we are currently traversing?
I just found this paper a long time ago: "POSSIBILITY OF KARST MORPHOLOGY ON THE MARTIAN SURFACE AT THE MERIDIANI LANDING SITE FROM COMPARISON WITH TERRESTRIAL ANALOGS" (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2005/pdf/1051.pdf), but I haven't heard anything new about this.
Could be interesting, if the cracks were really dolines.
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