Possible Meteorite Imaged by Opportunity Rover

August 3, 2009
Possible Meteorite Imaged by Opportunity Rover

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This image of "Block Island" was taken on July 28, 2009, with the front hazard-identification camera on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity.

(PhysOrg.com) -- The Opportunity rover has eyed an odd-shaped, dark rock, about 0.6 meters (2 feet) across on the surface of Mars, which may be a meteorite.

The team spotted the rock called "Block Island," on July 18, 2009, in the opposite direction from which it was driving. The rover then backtracked some 250 meters (820 feet) to study it closer.

Scientists will be testing the rock with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to get composition measurements and to confirm if indeed it is a .

Provided by JPL/NASA (news : web)

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omatumr
Aug 03, 2009

Rank: 4 / 5 (1)
METEORITE ON MARS?

Yes, Earth, Mars, and other planets are continuing to accrete meteorites.

Dr. H. H. Ninninger discovered many here on Earth in regions like the Great Plains where other rocks were rare.

Iron meteorites are the easiest to identify with the Ni test of undergraduate qualitative analysis laboratories.

With kind regards,
Oliver K. Manuel
http://www.omatumr.com
omatumr
Aug 04, 2009

Rank: 2 / 5 (2)
ACCRETION AND EJECTION

Those interested in "seeing" evidence of accretion and ejection of material in planets may appreciate the photographs posted here:

http://tinyurl.com/m8rxdb

With kind regards
Oliver K. Manuel
http://www.omatumr.com

yyz
Aug 04, 2009

Rank: not rated yet
Thanks, Dr Manuel, for that terrific link that includes Mt. Rushmore and the 'Big Dipper'. Truly an awesome image.
Rank 4.5 /5 (6 votes)
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