Emily Lakdawalla • Oct 01, 2012
Beautiful rocks ahead at Glenelg, but first, Curiosity must dig in the sand
Check out Curiosity's view as of sol 54, gazing east toward Glenelg with the zoomed-in view of Mastcam 100. It doesn't look like much at this resolution; you really have to enlarge it to see the whole thing. Not only are the rocks in view interesting, but there are so many interesting-looking different kinds of rocks, from thin platy ones in the middle to angular cobbles at right to two lumps that look like sleeping sea lions toward the left. So much to see!
![Panoramic view of "Glenelg," Curiosity sol 54](https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_2400x486_crop_center-center_82_line/20121001_MSL54_MR0248_full.jpg 2400w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_1200x243_crop_center-center_82_line/20121001_MSL54_MR0248_full.jpg 1200w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_768x155_crop_center-center_60_line/20121001_MSL54_MR0248_full.jpg 768w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_576x116_crop_center-center_60_line/20121001_MSL54_MR0248_full.jpg 576w)
Compare it to the orbital view of Glenelg:
![Curiosity's first destination: Glenelg](https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_1200x800_crop_center-center_82_line/msl_hirise_ESP_028335_1755_detail_glenelg.jpg 1200w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_768x512_crop_center-center_60_line/msl_hirise_ESP_028335_1755_detail_glenelg.jpg 768w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_576x384_crop_center-center_60_line/msl_hirise_ESP_028335_1755_detail_glenelg.jpg 576w)
Here's where Curiosity is right now:
But I think we're going to have to wait a bit to enjoy the diverse rocks at Glenelg, because this is what Curiosity has in view right now:
!["Rocknest," Curiosity sol 55](https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_2400x743_crop_center-center_82_line/20121001_Sol55_pano.jpg 2400w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_1200x371_crop_center-center_82_line/20121001_Sol55_pano.jpg 1200w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_768x237_crop_center-center_60_line/20121001_Sol55_pano.jpg 768w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_576x178_crop_center-center_60_line/20121001_Sol55_pano.jpg 576w)
Will this sand ripple be the source of Curiosity's first soil sample? If so, get used to the view, because we're going to be here for two or three weeks. Good thing it's a nice view! Meanwhile, on sol 51, they checked out the soil scoop, which appears to be clean and ready for action:
![Curiosity's soil scoop, ready for action (sol 51)](https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_1200x900_crop_center-center_82_line/20121001_msl_0051MR0468000000E1_DXXX.jpg 1200w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_768x576_crop_center-center_60_line/20121001_msl_0051MR0468000000E1_DXXX.jpg 768w, https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/web/assets/pictures/_576x432_crop_center-center_60_line/20121001_msl_0051MR0468000000E1_DXXX.jpg 576w)
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