NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to take
the images that have been combined into this 180-degree view of
the rover's surroundings during the 1,823rd Martian day, or sol, of
Spirit's surface mission (Feb. 17, 2009).
The center of the view is toward the south-southwest.
The rover had driven 7 meters (23 feet) eastward earlier on Sol 1823, part
of maneuvering to get Spirit into a favorable position for climbing onto
the low plateau called "Home Plate." However, after two driving attempts
with negligible progress during the following three sols, the rover team
changed its strategy for getting to destinations south of Home Plate. The team
decided to drive Spirit at least partway around Home Plate, instead of
ascending the northern edge and taking a shorter route across the top of
the plateau.
Layered rocks forming part of the northern edge of Home Plate can be seen
near the center of the image. Rover wheel tracks are visible at the lower
edge.
This view is presented as a cylindrical projection with
geometric seam correction.