The Mars exploration robot Curiosity, which is solving ‘curiosity’ on the distant red planet, sent a beautiful ‘postcard’ containing the scenery of Mars. On the 13th (local time), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released a picture with an interesting title, ‘Postcard of Marker Band Valley’.
This panorama of Mars’ skies, which looks as beautiful as Earth, is a composite of images taken on April 8 at 9:20 a.m. and 3:40 p.m. local time on Mars. Soon after the sun rises, the scenery of Mars and the afternoon are captured in one picture.
However, the original image is black and white as this photo was originally taken using Curiosity’s black and white navigation camera. A ‘postcard’ was completed by adding color to this photo. In addition, a part of Curiosity is included in the photo, and the ‘footprints’ left by the rover are clearly visible next to it. The subject of the photo is the Marker Bend Valley, located at the foot of Mount Sharp, about 5 km high, where Curiosity has previously discovered ripple-patterned sedimentary rocks.
Meanwhile, Curiosity, a small-sized car-sized exploration robot, landed near Gale Crater, which is 154 km wide, on August 5, 2012, to solve the ‘curiosity’ about whether there is life on Mars. Over a period of more than 10 years, Curiosity analyzed the geology and soil of Mars to obtain data on organic matter such as methane and investigated whether conditions were suitable for microorganisms to live. In particular, Curiosity has made great achievements in discovering traces of water flow on Mars long ago and evidence of methane gas and nitrates necessary for life.
Reporter Park Jong-ik [email protected]
