Skip Navigation
menu

Images

Thin-Laminated Rock in 'Pahrump Hills' Outcrop

This image shows an example of a thin-laminated, evenly stratified rock type that occurs in the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp on Mars. The Mastcam on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover acquired this view on Oct. 28, 2014. This type of rock can form under a lake.

December 08, 2014

This image shows an example of a thin-laminated, evenly stratified rock type that occurs in the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp on Mars. The Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover acquired this view during the 792nd Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Oct. 28, 2014). The area of rock surface shown is about 3 feet (1 meter) across.

Read full caption >>

Credits

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

ENLARGE

Related

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to survey these wind-sharpened rocks, called ventifacts, on March 15, 2022, the 3,415th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The team h...
More
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to survey these wind-sharpened rocks, called ventifacts, on March 15, 2022, the 3,415th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.
Curiosity Finds 'Gator-Back' Rocks on 'Greenheugh'
This mosaic of images from the Navigation Camera (Navcam) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity shows the terrain to the west from the rover's position on the 528th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Ja...
More
This mosaic of images from the Navigation Camera (Navcam) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity shows the terrain to the west from the rover's position on the 528th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Jan. 30, 2014).
Curiosity's View Past Dune at 'Dingo Gap'
The dark band in the lower portion of this Martian scene is part of the "Bagnold Dunes" dune field lining the northwestern edge of Mount Sharp. The scene combines multiple images taken with the Mas...
More
The dark band in the lower portion of this Martian scene is part of the "Bagnold Dunes" dune field lining the northwestern edge of Mount Sharp. The scene combines multiple images taken with the Mast Camera on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on Sept. 25, 2015. The view is toward south-southeast.
Glimpse of 'Bagnold Dunes' Edging Mount Sharp
A chapter of the layered geological history of Mars is laid bare in this postcard from NASA's Curiosity rover. The image shows the base of Mount Sharp, the rover's eventual science destination.
More
A chapter of the layered geological history of Mars is laid bare in this postcard from NASA's Curiosity rover. The image shows the base of Mount Sharp, the rover's eventual science destination.
Layers at the Base of Mount Sharp
NASA’s Curiosity rover recently made its most challenging climb on Mars. Curiosity faced a steep, slippery slope on its journey up Mount Sharp, so rover drivers had to come up with a creative detou...
More
NASA’s Curiosity rover recently made its most challenging climb on Mars. Curiosity faced a steep, slippery slope on its journey up Mount Sharp, so rover drivers had to come up with a creative detour. After the detour, Curiosity stopped by a new area with intriguing impact craters to explore.
Mars Report: Curiosity Rover's Most Challenging Climb Yet
The sequence of six images in this animation shows sunspots as viewed by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from April 4 to April 15, 2015. From Mars, the rover was in position to see the opposite side of...
More
The sequence of six images in this animation shows sunspots as viewed by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from April 4 to April 15, 2015. From Mars, the rover was in position to see the opposite side of the sun from the side facing Earth during this period. North is up.
Tracking Sunspots from Mars, April 2015
Curiosity's "eyes" (the Mastcam) are shrouded in a silvery material, awaiting their first look around the clean room at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where the rover is being built.
More
This image shows a close-up of the rover's "head." At the top is a white box structure with a large red circle (the rover's laser called ChemCam) to the right. Beneath the box are two cameras, which will provide views of the Martian surface. They are covered with protective silvery material.
Close-Up View of Curiosity's "Head"
Curiosity location for Sol 313
More
Curiosity location for Sol 313
Curiosity location for Sol 313
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured this 360-degree panorama near a location nicknamed “Sierra Maigualida” on May 22, 2022, the 3,481st Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The panorama is made up...
More
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured this 360-degree panorama near a location nicknamed “Sierra Maigualida” on May 22, 2022, the 3,481st Martian day, or sol, of the mission – the panorama is made up of 133 individual images captured by Curiosity’s Mast Camera, or Mastcam.
Curiosity's 360-degree Panorama Near 'Sierra Maigualida'
This side-by-side comparison shows the X-ray diffraction patterns of two different samples collected from the Martian surface by NASA's Curiosity rover.
More
This side-by-side comparison shows the X-ray diffraction patterns of two different samples collected from the Martian surface by NASA's Curiosity rover.
Minerals at 'Rocknest' and 'John Klein' (Unannotated)
This image shows the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity with the first rock touched by an instrument on the arm.
More
This image shows the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity with the first rock touched by an instrument on the arm.
Curiosity's Rock-Contact Science Begins
The sparks that appear on the baseball-sized rock result from the laser of the ChemCam instrument on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover hitting the rock. (No audio)
More
Flash from Curiosity Rover's Laser Hitting a Martian Rock
Flash from Curiosity Rover's Laser Hitting a Martian Rock
This image from Curiosity's Mastcam shows inclined beds of sandstone interpreted as the deposits of small deltas fed by rivers flowing down from the Gale Crater rim and building out into a lake whe...
More
This image from Curiosity's Mastcam shows inclined beds of sandstone interpreted as the deposits of small deltas fed by rivers flowing down from the Gale Crater rim and building out into a lake where Mount Sharp is now. It was taken March 13, 2014, just north of the "Kimberley" waypoint.
Inclined Martian Sandstone Beds Near 'Kimberley'
This 3D, or stereo anaglyph, view shows NASA's Mars rover Curiosity where it landed on Mars within Gale Crater, at a site now called Bradbury Landing. The view was produced from images taken by the...
More
This 3D, or stereo anaglyph, view shows NASA's Mars rover Curiosity where it landed on Mars within Gale Crater, at a site now called Bradbury Landing.
Curiosity at Bradbury Landing Site in 3D
This photograph of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, was taken during testing on June 3, 2011. The location is inside the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Labo...
More
This photograph of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, was taken during testing on June 3, 2011. The location is inside the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Mars Rover Curiosity Raising Turret
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its black-and-white navigation cameras to capture panoramas of this scene at two times of day. Blue, orange, and green color was added to a combination of both pano...
More
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its black-and-white navigation cameras to capture panoramas of this scene at two times of day. Blue, orange, and green color was added to a combination of both panoramas for an artistic interpretation of the scene.
A Picture Postcard From Curiosity's Navcams
Three bite marks left in the Martian ground by the scoop on the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity are visible in this image taken by the rover's right Navigation Camera during the mission'...
More
Three bite marks left in the Martian ground by the scoop on the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity are visible in this image taken by the rover's right Navigation Camera during the mission's 69th Martian day, or sol (Oct. 15, 2012).
Curiosity's First Three Bites Into Martian Ground
The low ridge that appears as a dark band below the horizon in the center of this scene is a Martian outcrop called "Cooperstown," a possible site for contact inspection with tools on the robotic a...
More
The low ridge that appears as a dark band below the horizon in the center of this scene is a Martian outcrop called "Cooperstown," a possible site for contact inspection with tools on the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.
Curiosity's View of "Cooperstown" Outcrop on Route to Mount Sharp
The rover took a 360-degree panorama of the area depicting its last drill hole on the ridge (at a location called "Rock Hall").
More
The rover took a 360-degree panorama of the area depicting its last drill hole on the ridge (at a location called "Rock Hall").
NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Departs Vera Rubin Ridge (360 View)
This image of a calibration target illuminated by white-light LEDs (light emitting diodes) is part of the first set of nighttime images taken by the Mars Hand Lens I0he robotic arm of NASA's Mars r...
More
This image of a calibration target illuminated by white-light LEDs (light emitting diodes) is part of the first set of nighttime images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera at the end of the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.
First Night Image of MAHLI Calibration Target in White Lighting
As NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is progressing toward Mount Sharp, researchers are using the rover's instruments to examine soils and rocks in Gale Crater.
More
As NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is progressing toward Mount Sharp, researchers are using the rover's instruments to examine soils and rocks in Gale Crater.
Crystal-Laden Martian Rock Examined by Curiosity's Laser Instrument
This image taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity shows the texture of the patch of flat-lying bedrock called "Cumberland," which was the mission's second target ...
More
Concretions at 'Cumberland'
Concretions at 'Cumberland'
This full-resolution image from NASA's Curiosity shows the elbow joint of the rover's extended robotic arm on Aug. 20, 2012. The Navigation Camera captured this view.
More
This full-resolution image from NASA's Curiosity shows the elbow joint of the rover's extended robotic arm on Aug. 20, 2012. The Navigation Camera captured this view.
Part of Curiosity's Outstretched Arm, Full-Resolution
This image from NASA's Curiosity rover shows the great diversity of grains found on the surface of a Martian rock.
More
This image from NASA's Curiosity rover shows the great diversity of grains found on the surface of a Martian rock.
Texture of 'Gillespie Lake' Rock
Access Mars allows any member of the public to explore the discoveries of NASA's Curiosity rover.
More
Access Mars
Access Mars

You Might Also Like

The agency is asking the NASA community to work together to develop a revised plan that leverages innovation and proven technology.
More
NASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs
NASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs
NASA has proven powered, controlled flight is possible on other worlds, just as the Wright brothers proved it was possible on Earth.
More
After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends
After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends
The agency established the board in May 2023 to evaluate the technical, cost, and schedule plans prior to confirmation of the mission’s design.
More
NASA Releases Independent Review's Mars Sample Return Report
NASA Releases Independent Review's Mars Sample Return Report
A pair of quakes in 2021 sent seismic waves deep into the Red Planet’s core, giving scientists the best data yet on its size and composition.
More
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
Ten sample tubes, capturing an amazing variety of Martian geology, have been deposited on Mars’ surface so they could be studied on Earth in the future.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
Filled with rock, the sample tube will be one of 10 forming a depot of tubes that could be considered for a journey to Earth by the Mars Sample Return campaign.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface