NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has taken a memorable view of a large Martian crater.
Late afternoon shadows at Endeavour Crater on Mars, as seen by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity (NASA / JPL-Caltech / Cornell / Arizona State University)
The view catches a shadow of the rover in the foreground and the giant basin in the distance.
Opportunity is perched on the western rim of Endeavour Crater looking eastward.
Endeavour Crater spans about 22 km (14 miles) in diameter.
Opportunity used its panoramic camera to record images taken through different filters and combined into this mosaic view.
The resulting image provided by NASA is presented in false color to emphasize differences in materials such as dark dunes on the crater floor. This gives portions of the image an aqua tint.
Opportunity took most of the component images on March 9, 2012, while the solar-powered rover was spending several weeks at one location to preserve energy during the Martian winter. It has since resumed driving and is currently investigating a patch of windblown Martian dust near its winter haven.
The rover has been studying the western rim of Endeavour Crater since arriving there in August 2011.
