APOD: Shadow of a Martian Robot (2019 Feb 17)

[APOD Robot]

Shadow of a Martian Robot

Explanation: What if you saw your shadow on Mars and it wasn't human? Then you might be the Opportunity rover currently exploring Mars. Opportunity explored the red planet from 2004 to 2018, finding evidence of ancient water, and sending breathtaking images across the inner Solar System. Pictured here in 2004, Opportunity looks opposite the Sun into Endurance Crater and sees its own shadow. Two wheels are visible on the lower left and right, while the floor and walls of the unusual crater are visible in the background. Caught in a dust storm in 2018, last week NASA stopped try contact Opportunity and declare the ground-breaking mission, originally planned for only 92 days, complete.

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[JohnD]

Strange pic! Looks as if Oppo is on ice, not a dust-dry Marscape. Why is the ground so reflective?
John

[orin stepanek]

Kinda reminds me of Disney movie 'Black Hole' ending!

[Chris Peterson]

What if you saw your shadow on Mars and it wasn't human? Then you might be the Opportunity rover currently formerly exploring Mars.

[JohnD]

Surely, Chris, Oppo IS "currently exploring Mars", just in a different direction to the normal four dimensions?

John

[Fred the Cat]

Unlike on the moon, the tracks of our rovers will soon be covered in dust. How long that might take is fictionalized but study of Martian regolith formation is already deeply underway thanks to years on the surface.

Perhaps Opportunity’s shadow will remain long enough to be photographed side-by-side with a human’s someday in an APOD in the future.

[neufer]

Unlike on the moon, the tracks of our rovers will soon be have already been covered in dust.

[Fred the Cat]

Unlike on the moon, the tracks of our rovers will soon be have already been covered in dust.

So much for the "ground-breaking mission".

[RJN]

What if you saw your shadow on Mars and it wasn't human? Then you might be the Opportunity rover currently formerly exploring Mars.

Thanks. Fixed it. Also fixed a typo in the last sentence on the NASA APOD site.

- RJN

[neufer]

What if you saw your shadow on Mars and it wasn't human? Then you might be the Opportunity rover currently formerly exploring Mars.

Thanks. Fixed it. Also fixed a typo in the last sentence on the NASA APOD site. - RJN

Well...we don't really know that Opportunity has actually stopped exploring Mars...just that it has stopped talking to us.

Opportunity could have been instructed (like HAL) to go rogue (if necessary) to continue its important mission.

[Boomer12k]

The "little rover that could"...is now "the little rover that DID"....

Have a nice rest Opportunity....someday you will be in the "Mars Museum"...

:---[===] *

[Fred the Cat]

Thanks. Fixed it. Also fixed a typo in the last sentence on the NASA APOD site. - RJN

Well...we don't really know that Opportunity has actually stopped exploring Mars...just that it has stopped talking to us.

Opportunity could have been instructed (like HAL) to go rogue (if necessary) to continue its important mission.

We could see evidence of dust devils in the area.

[Avalon]

What is the most likely explanation; Opportunity can no longer operate due to exhaustion of power because dust has covered solar cells, the entire rover is buried in sand, sand clogged moving parts, all of these?

[Chris Peterson]

What is the most likely explanation; Opportunity can no longer operate due to exhaustion of power because dust has covered solar cells, the entire rover is buried in sand, sand clogged moving parts, all of these?

The problem appears to be entirely caused by inadequate power.