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Martian rock
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Martian rock
Martian rock. Micrograph of a patch of rock on Mars. This is a close-up of part of a bedrock outcrop near to where the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landed on 24 January 2004. The finely-layered rock contains spherical granules (one at centre right), which may have been formed from molten rock sprayed into the air by a volcano or meteorite impact, or by the accretion in water of successive mineral layers around a smaller particle. The spheres are gradually being released from the rock as it is eroded by windblown sand. This 3-centimetre-wide image was taken by Opportunitys microscopic imager
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Media ID 6426781
© NASA/JPL/CORNELL/USGS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
2004 Bed Rock Composition Cosmology Eroded Exploration February Geological Grain Layer Layers Mars Martian Surface Micrograph Microscopy Nasa Opportunity Outcrop Planetary Rock Rocky Rover Scientific Solar System Sphere Spherical Strata Stratified Universe Mono Chrome Robert E Stone Mountain Wind Erosion
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This print showcases a Martian rock, providing an up-close and detailed view of its intriguing features. Taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's microscopic imager in 2004, this image captures a patch of bedrock near the rover's landing site on January 24th. The rock exhibits finely-layered strata, revealing its complex geological history. Among these layers, spherical granules can be observed, with one prominently positioned at the center-right of the image. These spheres are believed to have formed through various processes such as volcanic eruptions or meteorite impacts, or potentially from mineral accretion around smaller particles in water. As time passes and windblown sand erodes the rock surface, these spherical formations gradually detach themselves from their rocky host. This erosion process offers valuable insights into how Martian landscapes evolve over time. With a width of three centimeters, this monochrome micrograph provides scientists with crucial data for research and exploration purposes. It contributes to our understanding of planetary geology and cosmology within our solar system while shedding light on Mars' unique composition. Thanks to NASA's Opportunity rover and its microscopic imager, we gain access to extraordinary images like this one that unravel the mysteries surrounding our neighboring planet's ancient past.
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