There’s dust all over the lens and a fair bit more floating around, but this blurry image was still enough to send the normally staid folk at NASA into loud paroxysms of joy.
It was transmitted, via two nearby CubeSats, from the InSight lander just minutes after it successfully touched down in Mars after a seven month journey of 458 million kilometres.
Taken using its Instrument Context Camera, the image shows a small rock in the immediate foreground, then a 124-degree curved view across the landscape of the region known as the Elysium Planitia, followed by an arc of pale sky.
Many more detailed images, as well as geologic, atmospheric and seismic date, are set to follow, but InSight will be operating in low intensity mode for the next couple of weeks, while the dust thrown up by its arrival gradually settles and the view clear.
Originally published by Cosmos as InSight’s first image
Cosmos
Curated content from the editorial staff at Cosmos Magazine.
Read science facts, not fiction...
There’s never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.
