Media Information

 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Title:
The Biggest Microscopic Image Ever
Original Caption Released with Image:
This is a mosaic of four individual frames taken by the microscopic imager that have been very carefully stitched together to reveal the entire 5-centimeter-diamete r (almost 2-inch) hole left on the rock dubbed "Humphrey." The holes were created by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's rock abrasion tool. The mosaic, created on March 7, 2004, is the first of its kind of an abraded surface on Mars, and gave scientists their first ever microscopic imager view of the entire drilled area. While it is easy for the panoramic camera and the navigation cameras to fit an area this size into their field of view, the microscopic imager can only capture a portion of the ground area with each image.

Scientists are interested in many of the small features on "Humphrey" uncovered by the rock abrasion tool and made visible by the microscopic imager. The sinuous veins within the rock could be evidence that water was trickling through the material while it was deep underground, whereas the dark "age spots" in the center of the hole may be crystals of the mineral olivine.
Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Cornell/USG S/Honeybee Robotics
Produced By:
JPL
Mission:
Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
Spacecraft:
Spirit
Target Name:
Mars
Is a satellite of:
Sol (our sun)
Instrument:
Microscopic Imager
Instrument:
Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT)
Product Size:
1934 samples x 1862 lines
facet_what:
Sun
facet_what:
Spirit
facet_what:
Mars
facet_what:
Imager
facet_what:
Panoramic Camera
facet_what:
Microscopic Imager
facet_what:
Rock Abrasion Tool
facet_what:
RAT
facet_what:
Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
facet_where:
Mars
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_when:
March 7, 2004
facet_when_year:
2004
Image #:
PIA05523
UID:
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA05523
orignial url:

The Biggest Microscopic Image Ever