What better way there is to spend a day without any tasks than to sit around all day and do nothing, and only watch how the day changes in Mars. Yes, this is what the Curiosity rover did in its recent time off, and from sun up to sun down on the Red Planet, the trusty solo traveler has captured what it is like for a Martian sol to come and go, taking advantage of the space phenomenon.
Curiosity was given time off, but during this time, it was also tasked to use one of its cameras to capture an out-of-this-world timelapse of the next-door planet.
NASA's Curiosity Rover Captures a Timelapse of a Martial Day (Sol)
(Photo : NASA/JPL-Caltech)
NASA revealed before the year ended that Curiosity has captured an iconic timelapse of a Martian day, also known as a Sol, revealing black and white footage that shows what it is like to spend an entire Sol here.
The footage that Curiosity delivered to the world was a 12-hour capture of the skies and the Martian surface, recorded on the 4,002nd Martial Sol last November 8.
According to NASA, Curiosity used its Hazcams to capture the sight, with the camera best known for spotting rocks, slopes, and other dangers that the rover will be facing. However, on this occasion, NASA employed these cameras to capture sequencing snapshots of the entire 12-hour timeframe, looking to discover more of the Red Planet's weather.
In the video, Curiosity was at the southeastern region of the Gediz Vallis on Mount Sharp.
Read Also: [LOOK] NASA Orbiter Sees Otherworldly Views of Mars Horizon
Why was Curiosity Given a Time Off by NASA?
Earlier in November 2023, NASA gave Curiosity a time off because of the upcoming Solar Conjunction where the Earth will be in the middle of the Sun and Mars, causing plasmas to affect communications. In this conjunction, NASA held a two-week communications pause, but does not necessarily mean that it lost contact with the rover.
NASA's Curiosity Rover
For many years now, the Curiosity Rover has been one of the workhorses of NASA in exploring Mars, particularly in the Gale Crater region where it is stationed. Apart from its discoveries, Curiosity has also been one to help debunk myths and massive conspiracies on Mars, offering the world a healthy supply of information, including the oblivious cannonball that caused quite a stir.
It is widely known that Mars has one of the harshest environments, with the sulfur-rich planet that has no visible water, creating significant sights to see on its surface. Curiosity once found "hoodoos" on Mars, and these are towering rock formations that were formed by sediments, especially in dry areas, characterized by their tall figures and instantly noticeable.
While the more modern rovers were deployed by NASA most recently, with the Perseverance and Ingenuity, Curiosity's mission and work are not yet done on the Red Planet. And despite the supposed hibernation of Curiosity in the last solar conjunction, it was given a special task, something that a lot would enjoy doing, and it is to sit back, relax, and enjoy as the Sol passed by.
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