Curiosity

NASA’s Curiosity rover approaching active Martian sand dunes after latest drilling completed

The edge of a dark sand dune field can be seen in this white-balanced Curiosity image from sol 1115 (Sep. 25, 2015). Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
The edge of a dark sand dune field can be seen in this white-balanced Curiosity image from sol 1115 (Sep. 25, 2015). Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Mars is often referred to as a desert world, being bone-dry for the most part, with dust and sand blanketing most of the surface. Some regions are covered in vast sand dunes, reminiscent of deserts like the Sahara on Earth, only much colder. Gale crater, where the Curiosity rover landed in 2012, features extensive dune fields around the base of Mount Sharp, and the rover is now approaching some of them for the first time; their dark color makes them stand out starkly against the surrounding terrain. These dunes are also still active, meaning they are still mobile and shaped by the wind, not just old “fossil” (petrified) dunes which are no longer active.

Read MoreNASA’s Curiosity rover approaching active Martian sand dunes after latest drilling completed

Curiosity rover confirms ancient lake(s) in Gale crater on Mars

Sedimentary strata at the base of Mount Sharp as seen at the Kimberly location. The strata in the foreground dip toward Mount Sharp, providing evidence of the former lake-filled depression that used to exist before most of the mountain formed. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Sedimentary strata at the base of Mount Sharp as seen at the Kimberly location. The strata in the foreground dip toward Mount Sharp, providing evidence of the former lake-filled depression that used to exist before most of the mountain formed. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Last week there was the exciting news that Mars still has flows of briny water occurring now, and this week there is more water-related news: additional findings from the Curiosity rover that the huge Gale crater was once a lake or series of lakes a long time ago. Curiosity had already found evidence that there used to be shallow lakes and streams in this area, but the new data confirms this and suggests that the lake(s) once filled Gale crater and were long-lasting, explaining the formation of Mount Sharp in the middle of the crater and also providing a potentially habitable environment for life.

Read MoreCuriosity rover confirms ancient lake(s) in Gale crater on Mars

Image Gallery: foothills of Mount Sharp (white-balanced)

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Another beautiful panoramic image of the foothills of Mount Sharp, taken by Curiosity on Sep. 9, 2015. The mesas, buttes and valleys can be seen in greater detail as the rover keeps getting closer. The image has been white-balanced to show the terrain under more Earth-like lighting conditions. The full-size version of the image is available here.

Read MoreImage Gallery: foothills of Mount Sharp (white-balanced)

Image Gallery: Martian ‘spoons’ and ‘needles’

"Spoon" #1 seen by Curiosity on sol 1089. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
“Spoon” #1 seen by Curiosity on sol 1089. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Wind-eroded rocks on Mars can take many different forms, sometimes resembling common earthly objects. Some good new examples include these long, thin slivers of rock which look like “spoons” and “needles,” seen by the Curiosity rover recently on sols 1089 and 1087. These fragile formations are easier to form in Mars’ weaker gravity and thinner atmosphere and can last much longer than they would on Earth – a unique form of Martian “artwork.”

Read MoreImage Gallery: Martian ‘spoons’ and ‘needles’

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