
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used its Mastcam instrument to take the 32 individual images that make up this panorama of the outcrop nicknamed "Mont Mercou." It took a second panorama, rolling sideways 13 feet (4 meters), to create a stereoscopic effect similar to a 3D viewfinder. The effect helps scientists get a better idea of the geometry of Mount Mercou's sedimentary layers, as if they're standing in front of the formation. Both panoramas were taken on March 4, 2021, the 3,049th Martian day, or sol, of the mission, from a distance of about 130 feet (40 meters) from the cliff face, which is about 20 feet (6 meters) tall. They have been white-balanced so that the colors of the rock materials resemble how they would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. Animation available at https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24266
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NASA ID
PIA24266
Date Created
March 30, 2021
Center
JPL
Media Type
image
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