Three Close-ups of Meteorite ‘Oilean Ruaidh’ by Mars Rover Opportunity
This is an image of the meteorite that NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity found and examined in September 2010. Opportunity’s cameras first revealed the meteorite in images taken on Sol 2363 (Sept. 16, 2010), the 2,363rd Martian day of the rover’s mission on Mars. This view was taken with the panoramic camera on Sol 2371 (Sept. 24, 2010).
The science team used two tools on Opportunity’s arm — the microscopic imager and the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer — to inspect the rock’s texture and composition. Information from the spectrometer confirmed that the rock is a nickel-iron meteorite. The team informally named the rock “Oilean Ruaidh” (pronounced ay-lan ruah), which is the Gaelic name for an island off the coast of northwestern Ireland.
Opportunity departed Oilean Ruaidh and resumed its journey toward the mission’s long-term destination, Endeavour Crater, on Sol 2374 (Sept. 28, 2010) with a drive of about 100 meters (328 feet).
This view, presented in approximately true color, combines component images taken through three Pancam filters admitting wavelengths of 601 nanometers, 535 nanometers and 482 nanometers.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell University
High resolution version of this image
Mars Rover Opportunity’s Close-up of a Meteorite: ‘Oilean Ruaidh’ (False Color)
The science team used two tools on Opportunity’s arm — the microscopic imager and the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer — to inspect the rock’s texture and composition. Information from the spectrometer confirmed that the rock is a nickel-iron meteorite. The team informally named the rock “Oilean Ruaidh” (pronounced ay-lan ruah), which is the Gaelic name for an island off the coast of northwestern Ireland.
The component images were taken through three Pancam filters admitting wavelengths of 753 nanometers, 535 nanometers and 432 nanometers. This view is presented in false color to make some differences between materials easier to see.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell University
High resolution version of this image
Mars Rover Opportunity’s Close-up of ‘Oilean Ruaidh’ (Stereo)
An iron meteorite is the latest quarry for NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The rover’s cameras revealed the meteorite on its trek to its long-term destination, Endeavour crater, in images taken on Sol 2363 (Sept. 16, 2010), the 2,363rd Martian day of the rover’s mission on Mars. This view was taken with the navigation camera on Sol 2368 (Sept. 21, 2010), after a drive the preceding sol to get close to the rock. The meteorite is about half a meter (20 inches) long. The scene appears three-dimensional when viewed through red-blue glasses with the red lens on the left.
The science team used two tools on Opportunity’s arm — the microscopic imager and the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer — to inspect the rock’s texture and composition. The team informally named the rock “Oilean Ruaidh” (pronounced ay-lan ruah), which is the Gaelic name for an island off the coast of northwestern Ireland.
Opportunity departed Oilean Ruaidh and resumed its journey toward Endeavour on Sol 2374 (Sept. 28, 2010) with a drive of about 100 meters (328 feet).
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
