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01-14-05, 10:49 AM
http://a52.g.akamaitech.net/f/52/827/1d/www.space.com/images/h_opportunity_rock0113-1_01.jpg
a close-up image of the object (http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?pic=h_opportunity_rock0113-1_02.jpg&cap=A+close-up+of+the+object+found+at+Opportunity%92s+explorat ion+site+within+Meridiani+Planum.+Image+Credit%3A+ NASA%2FJPL)
By Leonard David
Senior Science Writer
posted: 13 January 2005
12:08 pm ET
NASA’s Opportunity Mars rover has come across an interesting object -- perhaps a meteorite sitting out in the open at Meridiani Planum. Initial data taken by the robot’s Mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) is suggestive that the odd-looking “rock” is made of metal.
The curious-looking object stands out in the parking-lot like landscape of Meridiani Planum.
“We're curious about it too. We have Mini-TES data on it now, and they suggest that it may actually be made of metal,” said Steve Squyres, lead scientist on the Mars Exploration Rover mission from Cornell University.
“So we are beginning to suspect that it may be a meteorite. I stress that this is very preliminary!”, Squyres told SPACE.com.
Opportunity has been busy at work inspecting entry debris -- hardware that fell to Mars during the robot’s entry, descent, and landing over a year ago.
Not too distant from the debris field, the odd-looking rock sits alone atop the sandy terrain.
Squyres cautioned that it is too early to identify the rock as a meteorite.
The next step by rover scientists is to carefully examine the object with Opportunity’s Instrument Deployment Device, or IDD.
read more @ space.com (http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/mars_object_050113.html)
I think it'll be very interesting to see (if it is possible) from where the metiorite has come and what structure it has. I highly doubt it is from Earth (because of the possibility of it made of metal), more likely it's from metals it consists of is another interesting aspect.
Can't wait its' investigation.
a close-up image of the object (http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?pic=h_opportunity_rock0113-1_02.jpg&cap=A+close-up+of+the+object+found+at+Opportunity%92s+explorat ion+site+within+Meridiani+Planum.+Image+Credit%3A+ NASA%2FJPL)
By Leonard David
Senior Science Writer
posted: 13 January 2005
12:08 pm ET
NASA’s Opportunity Mars rover has come across an interesting object -- perhaps a meteorite sitting out in the open at Meridiani Planum. Initial data taken by the robot’s Mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) is suggestive that the odd-looking “rock” is made of metal.
The curious-looking object stands out in the parking-lot like landscape of Meridiani Planum.
“We're curious about it too. We have Mini-TES data on it now, and they suggest that it may actually be made of metal,” said Steve Squyres, lead scientist on the Mars Exploration Rover mission from Cornell University.
“So we are beginning to suspect that it may be a meteorite. I stress that this is very preliminary!”, Squyres told SPACE.com.
Opportunity has been busy at work inspecting entry debris -- hardware that fell to Mars during the robot’s entry, descent, and landing over a year ago.
Not too distant from the debris field, the odd-looking rock sits alone atop the sandy terrain.
Squyres cautioned that it is too early to identify the rock as a meteorite.
The next step by rover scientists is to carefully examine the object with Opportunity’s Instrument Deployment Device, or IDD.
read more @ space.com (http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/mars_object_050113.html)
I think it'll be very interesting to see (if it is possible) from where the metiorite has come and what structure it has. I highly doubt it is from Earth (because of the possibility of it made of metal), more likely it's from metals it consists of is another interesting aspect.
Can't wait its' investigation.