NASA’s Perseverance Rover posts stunning panoramic photo of Mars
New Delhi: The NASA shared a magnificent panoramic photo of Mars taken from its Perseverance Rover that landed on the red planet recently. The photo shows the rim of the Jezero Crater where the rover touched down last week and the cliff face of an ancient river delta in the distance.
It took 142 individual images to put together the panaroma image which was taken on Sol 3, the third Martian day of the NASA mission.
“I’m taking it all in. This is the first 360º view of my home using Mastcam-Z. This dual, high-definition camera system sits atop my mast and has zoom capability,” NASA wrote on Twitter.
I’m taking it all in. This is the first 360º view of my home using Mastcam-Z. This dual, high-definition camera system sits atop my mast and has zoom capability. Inspect tiny details of Jezero Crater with the special interactive viewer at https://t.co/roDhWK56gj #CountdownToMars pic.twitter.com/TAy28PpG73
— NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) February 24, 2021
According to NASA’s website, the rover’s navigation cameras or Navcams are “a dual-camera system equipped with a zoom function, allowing the cameras to zoom in, focus, and take high-definition video, as well as panoramic color and 3D images of the Martian surface. With this capability, the robotic astrobiologist can provide a detailed examination of both close and distant objects.”
The US space agency feels that the cameras will help scientists assess the geologic history and atmospheric conditions of Jezero Crater and will assist in identifying rocks and sediment worthy of a closer look by the rover’s other instruments.
The Perseverance rover is on a mission to search for signs of ancient microbial life on the Red Planet.