* Astronomy

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity acquired this false-colour image of the rim of the 35-meter diameter Beagle Crater on Sol 894 (July 30, 2006) using the panoramic camera's 753-nanometer, 535-nanometer, and 432-nanometer filters.


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At the time the rover was about 25 meters from Beagle Crater, looking east-southeast. The image reveals ejecta blocks near the rover, the largest of which is about 50 centimetres across.
The image also shows a portion of the eastern interior rim of Beagle Crater, which appears composed of jumbled, angular blocks of brighter and darker outcrop rocks. The rover will drive to the rim of Beagle and acquire an extensive colour panorama of the crater rim and interior in the coming sols.

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Opportunity Examines Crater Ejecta, Grinds into Rock - sol 893-899, August 04, 2006:

After traversing the sandy plains of Meridiani to "Beagle Crater," Opportunity investigated a patch of outcrop pavement thought to be representative of the Martian surface beyond the reach of materials excavated by the impacts that dug Beagle and the nearby, much larger Victoria Crater. Opportunity used its rock abrasion tool to grind away the surface of rock for the first time since the rover's 691st sol, or Martian day (Jan. 3, 2006).
Both before and after grinding beneath the surface of the rock target known as "Baltra," Opportunity took microscopic images and collected data with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and the Mössbauer spectrometer. The rover remains healthy. This weekend, the science team plans to launch a three-day imaging campaign of Beagle Crater and the surrounding area.

Sol-by-sol summaries:

Sol 893 (July 29, 2006): Opportunity took microscopic images of Baltra and the grinding bit on the rock abrasion tool, ground 3 millimetres beneath the surface of Baltra, and took images of the magnets on the rock abrasion tool both before and after the grind. After communicating with NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, the rover began a study of Baltra with the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer and surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover turned off the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer at 11:13 p.m., local Mars time, before going into a mini-deep sleep.

Sol 894: Opportunity took stereo microscopic images of Baltra following the grind. The rover spent 12 hours collecting data from the freshly ground surface with the Mössbauer spectrometer. Opportunity acquired panoramic camera images of the rim of Beagle Crater and a transitional area around Beagle Crater known as "Española."

Sol 895: Opportunity acquired panoramic camera images of a flat rock target known as "Bartolomé" and conducted Mössbauer analysis of Baltra. Opportunity completed a very long survey of atmospheric dust, known as a tau measurement, with the panoramic camera and surveyed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover went into deep sleep to recharge the batteries.

Sol 896: Opportunity rolled back 1 metre and acquired colour images of Baltra using all 13 filters of the panoramic camera, then drove 21 metres toward the edge of Beagle Crater. At the end of the drive, the rover acquired images of the terrain using the navigation and panoramic cameras.

Sol 897: Opportunity recharged the batteries and conducted untargeted remote sensing of infrared energy and dust using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer (beginning with looking at the calibration target) and the panoramic camera. The rover surveyed the ground and sky with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer while communicating with the Odyssey orbiter.

Sol 898: Opportunity acquired panoramic camera images before driving 5 metres toward the rim of Beagle Crater. After the drive, Opportunity acquired images with the navigation camera and data with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 899 (Aug. 4, 2006): Plans called for a deep sleep followed by turning on the miniature thermal emission spectrometer heaters at 7 a.m., surveying the sky with the panoramic camera, and collecting data from the sky and ground using the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Odometry
As of sol 897 (Aug. 2, 2006), Opportunity's total odometry was 8,681.96 metres.

OPPORTUNITY UPDATE: Cleaning Event Gives Opportunity Renewed Energy - sol 886-892, July 29, 2006:

Opportunity spent five sols this week at a target called "Joseph McCoy." At this location, the rover acquired about 41 hours of Mössbauer spectrometer integration, almost seven hours of alpha particle X-ray spectrometer integration, and a mosaic from the microscopic imager. Then Opportunity rolled back, scuffed the soil, and drove 55 metres closer to "Beagle Crater." The scuff helps scientists and engineers analyse how the wheels interact with the soil. After the most recent drive, Opportunity is sitting about 25 metres from the rim of Beagle Crater.

Over the past 50 sols the team noticed a gradual cleaning of the solar panels similar to a more-sudden cleaning event experienced one Mars-year ago in "Endurance Crater." Removal of some of the accumulated dust on the panels allows greater production of electricity from sunlight. Opportunity's solar panels are now producing just over 500 watt-hours per sol.

Sol-by-sol summaries:

Sol 886 (June 22, 2006): Opportunity took microscopic images and an alpha particle X-ray spectrometer reading of the target Joseph McCoy. During the afternoon communication-relay session with NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, the rover observed the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer to profile temperatures of the atmosphere and surface. This sol also included a 13-filter panoramic image of a feature called "Jesse Chisholm" and an abbreviated morning observation of the sky and ground with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer.

Sol 887: Opportunity took a Mössbauer reading of Joseph McCoy and a panoramic camera image of "Sand Sheet" (shot to the south to determine a path to Beagle). In the morning, the rover looked for clouds and made atmospheric measurements.

Sol 888: Opportunity continued the Mössbauer examination of Joseph McCoy and conducted a miniature thermal emission spectrometer stare at Jesse Chisholm. The rover checked for clouds and assessed a temperature profile of the atmosphere.

Sol 889: The rover restarted the Mössbauer spectrometer, used the miniature thermal emission spectrometer for a seven-point sky and ground observation, and checked for clouds with the navigation camera.

Sol 890: Opportunity restarted the Mössbauer spectrometer and did two stares at soil with the miniature thermal emission spectrometer. The rover then stopped the Mössbauer observation and changed tools to the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer before the Odyssey pass. The rover began collecting X-ray spectrometer data on a target called "Ignatius."

Sol 891: Opportunity rolled back 1.5 metres and scuffed soil with its left-front wheel. The rover then conducted mid-drive imaging, completing a 13-filter panoramic camera image of the robotic arm's work area and the scuff. The rover drove 55 metres towards Beagle Crater. Post-drive imaging included a panoramic camera mosaic and navigation camera image mosaics in the forward and rear directions.

Sol 892 (July 28, 2006): Plans call for Opportunity to aim the navigation camera in the direction of the calibration target and take pictures of the sky, checking for clouds. Also, the rover is to use the miniature thermal emission spectrometer to profile near-surface and atmospheric temperatures.

Opportunity's total odometry as of sol 892 is 8,660.44 metres.

Opportunity traverse maps on Sol 878.