A shiny-looking Martian rock is
visible in this image taken by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity's Mast Camera
(Mastcam) during the mission's 173rd Martian day, or sol (Jan. 30, 2013).
Image
credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems ›
On Mars, as on Earth, sometimes
things can take on an unusual appearance. A case in point is a shiny-looking
rock seen in a recent image from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover.
Some casual observers might see a
resemblance to a car door handle, hood ornament or some other type of metallic
object. To Ronald Sletten of the University of Washington, Seattle, a
collaborator on Curiosity's science team, the object is an interesting study in
how wind and the natural elements cause erosion and other effects on various types
of rocks.
Find out what likely caused the
shiny appearance of the Martian rock, and see some examples of similar
phenomena found on Earth. A PDF of the images and explanatory text is available
at:
Guy Webster 818-354-6278
Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, Calif.
guy.webster@jpl.nasa.gov
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