Mars Panorama: Curiosity Rover Sends Back 1st 360-Degree Color View

[Shankapotomus]

stunning b & w image below. color panorama here: :



more at nasa's website: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html

[fascisthunter]

1. beautiful... thanks for the post!

I am in awe of what we are capable of.

[Shankapotomus]

2. Science says, "Your'e welcome." :)

[fascisthunter]

4. A human will land on Mars around 2045.

[hifiguy]

13. That human will probably be

Chinese.

[fascisthunter]

18. I think it will be a global effort.

But I can understand why you stated that!

[RebelOne]

14. I hope it will be sooner because I will not be here 2045.

When I was a teenager I was an avid reader of science fiction, which is now becoming science fact. I was thrilled when we made the first manned moon landing. I was hoping for a manned mission to Mars in my lifetime, but since I am now 73, I doubt that I will see it. Maybe my grandkids will.

[fascisthunter]

16. Hang On, sir! I want you to see it

I thought about this a lot, too... younger but can understand. What will we see in the future, and will I get to see it? I hope it is sooner, and I hope you live a long enough life to see it! I mean that!

[Warren DeMontague]

3. WOW!

[sabrina 1]

5. It looks like Arizona. I think one day people will be living on Mars.

It's beautiful, love these photos they are so awesome.

[Warpy]

8. Like NM, too

They'll have to find a way to reliquefy the core so Mars will have enough of a magnetic field to keep any atmosphere liberated from minerals and ice.

I'm still waiting for a roadrunner to dash across it.

[sabrina 1]

11. Lol, imagine the shock if something living does appear on the screen. I read somewhere that

scientists think an atmosphere can be created around Mars, and that there might have been one at one time. It apparently does have a very thin atmosphere right now.

When I was a lot younger I used to wonder if human beings originally lived on Mars, screwed it up, destroyed the atmosphere and escaped to Earth.

Who knows, anything is possible!

It does look like NM also, I agree.

[calimary]

20. Mind-blowing, isn't it?

What a remarkable achievement! I'm glad we're still involved in space - even though it's much lower-profile, and seems to be much less of a priority, than it has been.

Know what? They can raise my taxes ANYTIME, if it goes toward stuff like this! Seriously. The quest for knowledge that pushes us off our little narrow perch - it can mean the very survival of our species, at the rate we're going. If we finally render our Earth uninhabitable, those who are left are still gonna need some place to go.

[sabrina 1]

27. It definitely is mind-blowing. I have always loved looking at the Mars photos.

The possibilities of exploring another planet are absolutely enthralling.

You are right that if we keep going the way are here, some day the survivors of this planet will need somewhere to go, or become extinct.

Incredible to think about!

[Motown_Johnny]

6. They are nice pictures but I want that laser to zap some rocks

so we can see what is inside.

I know it has only been a few days but I am still very anxious for the real science to start.

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. What amazes me is that landing that thing on Mars is the equivalent....

of throwing a basketball through a hoop in Sydney, Australia from a position in Central Park,, NY... or something equally as absurd.

[Shankapotomus]

15. That's what amazes me as well

anything could go wrong over 9 months and 36 million miles and there would be little anyone could do about it. it's insane that something so far away can be beaming images back to us like we are there doing it ourselves. it's a weird feeling.

[TeamPooka]

17. and thgey have done it twice. Don't forget the first Mars rover

even though it was a bouncy landing....

[Shankapotomus]

19. I think we've done it four times with rovers

Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity and now Curiosity.

and that's not including the two Viking missions.

[A HERETIC I AM]

21. The Onion had a hilarious bit a few years back.....

About one of the other rovers, suggesting that it was bored and pissed off. I'm on my phOme in a restaurant, so finding the story and linking it is a pain, but they wrote some hilarious shit. Like - the rover had spelled out I. Letters 100 feet tall "Mars Sucks" and kept sending messages back that read " More of the same boring red dust" I'll try and find it later

[Shankapotomus]

22. This is a Martian dust devil

recorded by the Spirit rover in 2005.

[Equate]

9. Stunning pics

thanks for posting these. Can't hardly wait for more.

[Canuckistanian]

10. Thanks for posting!

I'm SO in awe of technology!

[upi402]

12. Looks like hell

We better stop fucking up this planet

[Marrah_G]

23. oh wow

awesome

[ErikJ]

24. Whjere's the McD's? nt

[wt1531]

25. Pres Obama should congratulate NASA in public

The President should take this oppotunity to thank NASA scientists on behalf of a grateful nation for this great achievement which is going to inspire millions of children. This will allow him to be above politics too, at least for a day and piss of Rush and the other useless hate radio hosts.

[Shankapotomus]

28. Great idea, wt1531!

I don't understand why Prez. Obama hasn't done this.

Welcome to DU!

[Blue_In_AK]

26. That's so exciting.

I love this stuff.