Curiosity captures rocket stage crash; Perseid meteors peak tonight!

The mystery of the blob in one of the first images taken by one of Curiosity’s Hazcams has been solved. NASA officials first thought it might be dust on the lens or even a dust devil in the distance, but … Continue reading →

The shadowy spot on the horizon to the left of center is dust raised by the impact of the sky crane when it crash landed. Photo taken before the clear dust cover was removed from the lens. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The mystery of the blob in one of the first images taken by one of Curiosity’s Hazcams has been solved. NASA officials first thought it might be dust on the lens or even a dust devil in the distance, but it now appears to be the impact plume from the sky crane when it crash landed shortly after gently delivering the rover to the surface. Mission controllers checked the direction the rover’s camera pointed and it lined up perfectly with the blast. Images made 45 minutes later show nothing on the horizon. Nabbing a picture like that by chance is akin to a hole in one.
Mars (right), Saturn (top) and Spica form a compact triangle last ...