Posts Tagged ‘Red Planet’
One of the Mars rovers found something on the Red Planet.
August 11th, 2009 | 
Author: 
This view of a rock called “Block Island,” the largest meteorite yet found on Mars, comes from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity.
Full image and caption
This iron-nickel meteorite found near Fort Stockton, Texas, in 1952 shows a surface texture similar to some portions of the surface of an iron-nickel meteorite that NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity found on Mars in July 2009.
Full image and caption
NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its microscopic imager to get this view of the surface of a rock called “Block Island” during the 1,963rd Martian day, or sol, of the rover’s mission on Mars (Aug. 1, 2009).
Full image and caption PASADENA, Calif. — NASA’s Mars Rover Opportunity is investigating a metallic meteorite the size of a large watermelon that is providing researchers more details about the Red Planet’s environmental history.
The rock, dubbed “Block Island,” is larger than any other known meteorite on Mars. Scientists calculate it is too massive to have hit the ground without disintegrating unless Mars had a much thicker atmosphere than it has now when the rock fell. An atmosphere slows the descent of meteorites. Additional studies also may provide clues about how weathering has affected the rock since it fell.
Full Story…
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer-20090810.html
Source
NASA One of the Mars rovers found something on the Red Planet. Check it out at: http://www.nasa.gov/rovers
Posted in 
Tags: 
