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2 min read<\/p>\n
Earth planning date: Wednesday, July 17, 2024<\/p>\n
We started our day at an outcrop called \u201cFairview Dome,\u201d a light-colored rock so big that it can easily be seen from orbit! We have had our eye on Fairview Dome<\/a> since Curiosity descended into the Gediz Vallis channel. As a geologist who has spent a lot of time in the field, I imagined this as a perfect place to drop my backpack, enjoy my lunch, and soak in the stunning panoramic views from this vantage point mid-channel.<\/p>\nThe science team opted to stay for two full days of contact science at Fairview Dome and assembled a plan consisting of numerous science observations. In the workspace directly in front of the rover\u2019s wheels, we analyzed Fairview Dome using the dust removal tool, APXS, and MAHLI instruments at a target called \u201cAmphitheater Dome.\u201d The ChemCam team selected two LIBS targets on the Fairview Dome outcrop \u2013 \u201cColumbia Finger\u201d and \u201cAgnew Meadows\u201d \u2013 to analyze the chemistry. Mastcam planned four stereo mosaics on sol 4248 to image the rover\u2019s surroundings, including the floor of upper Gediz Vallis, the floor of the upper Gediz Vallis ridge, the upper Gediz Vallis ridge channel, and a rock near the rover named \u201cTresidder Peak.\u201d On the following sol, Mastcam assembled what will surely be a breathtaking, postcard-worthy, 360-degree mosaic of our current location.<\/p>\nRounding out Curiosity\u2019s to-do list for this two-sol plan, ChemCam took two long-distance RMI images to document the stratigraphy of the rocks looking up Gediz Vallis toward the south. Science team members in the environmental theme group planned observations including a suprahorizon movie to look at clouds, a dust devil movie, and a mastcam tau survey to measure the amount of dust in the Martian atmosphere.<\/p>\nToday, I served as the science team member responsible for compiling and organizing the details for each activity from the geology and mineralogy theme groups. Despite the intensity of the planning session, the spectacular views at Fairview Dome made me pause to appreciate where we are and how far Curiosity has come. And with so much striking geology still in front of us, it is indeed a very exciting time to be exploring on Mars!<\/p>\nWritten by Sharon Wilson Purdy, Planetary Geologist at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShare<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/circle><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\nDetails<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\nLast Updated<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nJul 18, 2024<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\nRelated Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nBlogs<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore More<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n2 min read<\/div>\n\nSols 4246-4247: Next Stop: Fairview Dome<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n3 min read<\/div>\n\nSols 4243-4245: Exploring Stubblefield Canyon<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n2 min read<\/div>\n\nSols 4241\u20134242: We Can\u2019t Go Around It\u2026We\u2019ve Got To Go Through It!<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t6 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n\n\n\n\nKeep Exploring<\/div>\nDiscover More Topics From NASA<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMars<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\nMars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It\u2019s the only planet we know of inhabited\u2026<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAll Mars Resources<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle>
The science team opted to stay for two full days of contact science at Fairview Dome and assembled a plan consisting of numerous science observations. In the workspace directly in front of the rover\u2019s wheels, we analyzed Fairview Dome using the dust removal tool, APXS, and MAHLI instruments at a target called \u201cAmphitheater Dome.\u201d The ChemCam team selected two LIBS targets on the Fairview Dome outcrop \u2013 \u201cColumbia Finger\u201d and \u201cAgnew Meadows\u201d \u2013 to analyze the chemistry. Mastcam planned four stereo mosaics on sol 4248 to image the rover\u2019s surroundings, including the floor of upper Gediz Vallis, the floor of the upper Gediz Vallis ridge, the upper Gediz Vallis ridge channel, and a rock near the rover named \u201cTresidder Peak.\u201d On the following sol, Mastcam assembled what will surely be a breathtaking, postcard-worthy, 360-degree mosaic of our current location.<\/p>\n
Rounding out Curiosity\u2019s to-do list for this two-sol plan, ChemCam took two long-distance RMI images to document the stratigraphy of the rocks looking up Gediz Vallis toward the south. Science team members in the environmental theme group planned observations including a suprahorizon movie to look at clouds, a dust devil movie, and a mastcam tau survey to measure the amount of dust in the Martian atmosphere.<\/p>\n
Today, I served as the science team member responsible for compiling and organizing the details for each activity from the geology and mineralogy theme groups. Despite the intensity of the planning session, the spectacular views at Fairview Dome made me pause to appreciate where we are and how far Curiosity has come. And with so much striking geology still in front of us, it is indeed a very exciting time to be exploring on Mars!<\/p>\n
Written by Sharon Wilson Purdy, Planetary Geologist at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum<\/p>\n
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Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It\u2019s the only planet we know of inhabited\u2026<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAll Mars Resources<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/circle>
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