Published on StarDate Online (https://legacy.stardate.org)

Home > Getting Dark

Getting Dark [1]

Things are getting hazy for the Opportunity rover on Mars. The rover snapped this sequence of pictures of the Sun in June, showing the increasing thickness of a dust storm that has covered roughly a quarter of the planet (the panel at far right, showing no Sun at all, is a simulation). The solar-powered rover has gone into sleep mode to conserve its precious battery power. Engineers were not able to contact the rover on June 12, and are unsure if it will be able to survive a prolonged period of darkness. [NASA/JPL/TAMU]

Thickening dust storm above the Opportunity rover on Mars
  • About StarDate
  • Underwriting
  • SkyTips Sign-Up
  • Change mailing address
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright and Usage
  • Contact

StarDate is brought to you in part through the generous support of our underwriters.
Interested in underwriting? Let us know

 

FacebookTwitterYouTube

©2022 The University of Texas McDonald Observatory


Source URL:https://legacy.stardate.org/astro-guide/gallery/getting-dark

Links
[1] https://legacy.stardate.org/astro-guide/gallery/getting-dark