Possible Meteorite Imaged by Opportunity Rover

August 3, 2009

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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 meteorite.

Provided by JPL/NASA (news : web)

• 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
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• 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
  
  
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• yyz - Aug 04, 2009
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  Thanks, Dr Manuel, for that terrific link that includes Mt. Rushmore and the 'Big Dipper'. Truly an awesome image.
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