PIA06783: Layered Rocks in 'Columbia Hills'

Target Name: Mars Is a satellite of: Sol (our sun) Mission: Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spacecraft: Spirit Instrument: Panoramic Camera Product Size: 320 samples x 240 lines Produced By: Cornell University Full-Res TIFF: PIA06783.tif (77.11 kB) Full-Res JPEG: PIA06783.jpg (15.34 kB)

Original Caption Released with Image: This black-and-white image shows the first layered rocks scientists have seen close up in Gusev Crater, where NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit landed Jan. 4, 2004. While Spirit's twin rover, Opportunity, reached the stadium-size Endurance Crater on the other side of Mars and began exploring its many layered outcrops in early May, Spirit traveled more than 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) to get to this layered bedrock in the "Columbia Hills." Scientists are planning to conduct a study of these rocks to determine if they are volcanic or sedimentary in origin, and if they have been chemically altered. Spirit's panoramic camera took this image on sol 217 (Aug. 13, 2004). Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell