Perseverance Stuns in New Selfie
Why this matters: new research or scientific developments with potential real-world impact.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS NASA’s Perseverance rover recently took a self-portrait against a sweeping backdrop of ancient Martian terrain at a location the science team calls “Lac de Charmes.” Assembled from 61 individual images, the selfie shows Perseverance training its mast on a rocky outcrop in the foreground after creating a circular abrasion patch, with the western rim of Jezero Crater stretching into the background. During abrading, the rover grinds down a portion of the rock’s surface, allowing the science team to analyze what’s inside. The selfie was captured on March 11, the 1,797th Martian day (or sol) of the mission, during the rover’s deepest push west beyond the crater. Read more about Perseverance’s recent exploration. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS