Curiosity Rover Takes Detailed Photos of Martian Rock Formation

NASA's Curiosity rover snapped some stunning images of a rocky outcrop during its most recent trek on Mars. The photos were taken using the rover's 2-megapixel MastCams on Sept. 15 and stitched together by graphic designer Ed Truthan. You can click the image to see it in its full 4,000-pixel-wide glory.

The rocks look like they wouldn't be out of place in a southwestern U.S. desert, underscoring how similar Mars' geology is to Earth's. The beautiful formation "just begs for an explanation as to its origin and subsequent placement at the angle it protrudes from the surface," wrote Truthan in an e-mail to Wired.

While the site would be an interesting place to investigate, Curiosity has a busy schedule to keep and there is no end to the potentially fascinating places it could explore. It is currently rolling on its way to an area called Glenelg, where it will perform its first major scientific investigations.

Via Emily Lakdawalla at the Planetary Society

Adam is a Wired reporter and freelance journalist. He lives in Oakland, Ca near a lake and enjoys space, physics, and other sciency things.

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