A day on the wall of Gale crater, Mars

Filed under pretty pictures, amateur image processing, Mars, Curiosity (Mars Science Laboratory), animation

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While working at Namib dune, Curiosity took advantage of relatively clear skies to shoot several images at the same spot on the rim of Gale crater, due north of the rover. Three of the photos were taken on sol 1246 (February 7, 2016), and two were taken on sols 1234 and 1235.

NASA / JPL / MSSS / Thomas Appéré

The GIF animation reduces the quality of the color in the image, so here is a "before and after" comparison of two of the photos.

Before & after: Changing lighting conditions on Gale crater's rim

NASA / JPL / MSSS / Thomas Appéré

Before & after: Changing lighting conditions on Gale crater's rim

While working at Namib dune, Curiosity took advantage of relatively clear skies to shoot several images at the same spot on the rim of Gale crater, due north of the rover. These two photos were taken on sols 1234, with light from the and 1235 (January 25 and 26, 2016). At 7:00 a.m. local time, the light is from the east (right); at 12:31 p.m. local time, the light is high and to the west (left). It is also winter at the rover's position just south of the equator, so the near-noon light throws some shadow toward the rover.

Original image data dated on or about February 7, 2016.

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