Real Mars Curiosity Views Gediz Vallis Ridge
NASAs Curiosity Mars rover captured this 360degree panorama while parked below Gediz Vallis Ridge, the hilllike slope at right. After three attempts over the course of three years, the rover finally reached the ridge on its fourth try on Aug. 14, 2023, the 3, 923rd Martian day, or sol, of the mission. On Aug. 19, Curiositys Mastcam took the 136 individual images that were stitched together into this mosaic after being sent back to Earth. The color has been adjusted to match lighting conditions as the human eye would see them on Earth. Gediz Vallis Ridge was one of the last features to form on Mount Sharp, the 3miletall, 5kilometertall mountain that Curiosity has been ascending since 2014. The ridge preserves a record of one of the last wet periods seen on this part of Mars. Reaching the ridge was no easy feat: previous forays were stymied by knifeedged gatorback rocks and toosteep slopes. Arriving after one of the most difficult climbs the mission has ever faced, Curiosity spe
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