Glenelg, Mars
Glenelg, Mars (or Glenelg Intrigue) is a location on Mars near the Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover) landing site ("Bradbury Landing") in Gale Crater marked by a natural intersection of three kinds of terrain.[1][2]
Name[]
The location was named Glenelg by NASA scientists for two reasons: all features in the immediate vicinity were given names associated with Yellowknife in northern Canada, and Glenelg is the name of a geological feature there. Furthermore, the name is a palindrome, and as the Curiosity rover is planned to visit the location twice (once coming, and once going) this was an appealing feature for the name.[3] The original Glenelg is a village in Scotland which on 20 October 2012 had a ceremony, including a live link to NASA, to celebrate their "twinning" with Glenelg on Mars.[4]
The trek to Glenelg will send the rover 400 m (1,300 ft) east-southeast of its landing site. One of the three types of terrain intersecting at Glenelg is layered bedrock, which is attractive as the first drilling target.[citation needed]
Images[]
First-Year & First-Mile Traverse Map of the Curiosity rover on Mars (1 August 2013) (3-D).
Curiosity's view of the Glenelg Area – where three terrains merge (19 September 2012).
"Burwash" rock on Mars - as viewed by the MAHLI camera on the Curiosity rover (29 October 2012).
"Et-Then" rock on Mars - as viewed by the MAHLI camera on the Curiosity rover (29 October 2012).
"Shaler" rock outcrop near the Glenelg Area on Mars - as viewed by the MastCam on the Curiosity rover (7 December 2012).
See also[]
- Aeolis Mons
- Aeolis Palus
- Aeolis quadrangle
- Bedrock
- Composition of Mars
- Geology of Mars
- List of rocks on Mars
- Rock outcrop
- Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory
- Water on Mars
References[]
- ^ Mars Curiosity Rover First Road Trip Planned, archived from the original on 20 August 2012
- ^ NASA Curiosity Team Pinpoints Site for First Drive 08.17.12
- ^ Marlow, Jeffrey (23 August 2012). "Glenelg: From the Scottish Highlands to Mars".
- ^ Holgate, Alastair. "Glenelg Scotland, twinned with Mars". The Glenelg and Arnisdale Tourist Information Guide. Glenelg and Arnisdale Tourist Information. Archived from the original on 18 May 2016.
External links[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Glenelg, Mars. |
- Geography of Mars
- Aeolis quadrangle
- Mars Science Laboratory
- Gale (crater)