Have you ever require to explore Mars ? Well , NASA is give you the closest thing to it without leaving the comfort of your own home . The space way has released a stunning1.8 - billion - pixel imageof a sweeping Marscape taken by Curiosity belatedly last twelvemonth .
The panorama is a composite of over 1,000 pictures of a neighborhood called Glen Torridon , on the side of Mount Sharp , where Curiosity is currently stationed . The mission squad took the opportunity presented by a reduced workload during the Thanksgiving vacation to focus on the panorama you may now explore .
Between November 24 and December 1 , Curiosity ’s Mastcam used its telephoto lens to rupture the pictures . It operated only between 12 and 2 pm local time , so that the lighting conditions were more or less constant , and it took six and a one-half minute to finish . It is rarified that Curiosity has the same vantage point and the time to do something like this , so it could n’t be missed .
" While many on our team were at habitation enjoying turkey , Curiosity produced this feast for the eye , " tell Ashwin Vasavada , Curiosity ’s project scientist at NASA ’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory , in astatement . " This is the first time during the delegacy we ’ve dedicated our operations to a two-channel 360 - stage panorama . "
Use your fingers or shiner to soar in and out and drag around to explore the panorama in unbelievable detail .
The last gamy - resolution panorama from Curiosity was taken in 2013 and was a 1.3 - billion - pixel image from the bag of Gale Crater , exhibit Mount Sharp , the deputation ’s target of exploration , on the hazy horizon .
Curiosity has pottering and taking pictures ( and selfies ) on Mars since August 6 , 2012 and has cover just over half the distance of a half marathon ( 21 kilometers/13 miles ) across the Red Planet . Not bad for a rover whose top focal ratio on vapid terra firma is 0.14 kilometers per hour ( 0.09 miles per 60 minutes ) .
If you ’re read this on a desktop or laptop , you may check into out the interactive 360 ° panorama below by drag on your mouse to see Curiosity ’s full traffic circle .
