Opportunity Rover Completes Exploration of fascinating Santa Maria Crater
Opportunity Rover snaps self portrait at Santa Maria Crater rim on Sol 2476, Jan 10, 2011.
Opportunity arrived at the hydrated mineral deposits located here at the southeast rim of the crater at Yuma outlook. Self portrait of Opportunity at left, casts shadow of rover deck and mast at right.
Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell, Marco Di Lorenzo, Kenneth Kremer. Hi res on APOD, Jan. 29, 2011
NASA’s long lived Opportunity Mars rover has completed a three month long exploration of Santa Maria crater along the trail towards its biggest target ever, Endeavour crater, some 22 kilometers in diameter. Santa Maria has simultaneously offered a series of stunning vistas and a scientific bonanza as a worthy way station in the rovers now seven year long overland expedition across the Martianplains of Meridiani Planum.
Opportunity made landfall at the western edge of Santa Maria on Dec. 15, 2010 (Sol 2450) after a long and arduous journey of some 19 kilometers since departing from Victoria Crater nearly two and one half years ago in September 2008. Santa Maria is the largest craterthat the rover will encounter on the epic trek between Victoria and Endeavour. (...)
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