Whisker

[John Kierein]

Look at Opportunity Sol 182 microscopic images:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/m/182/1M144339823EFF3370P2957M2M1.HTML

See the whisker at the right top of the conjoined spheres? It isn't in the other views of this such as
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/m/182/1M144339348EFF3370P2957M2M1.HTML
and
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/1/m/182/1M144339547EFF3370P2957M2M1.HTML

Did it just grow?

[Grizzly]

I think that it's just a matter of perspective. The two latter shots are centered a bit more to the left and so the "whisker" (which is barely visible in the first shot) is hidden by the bulk of the top sphere.

----
Veni, vidi, territus sum, curcurri!
I came, I saw, I got scared, I ran!

[ToSeek]

I think that it's just a matter of perspective. The two latter shots are centered a bit more to the left and so the "whisker" (which is barely visible in the first shot) is hidden by the bulk of the top sphere.


I agree. There's a bright speck just above the whisker that is even with the end of the whisker. If you look closely at the second image, the bright speck is almost at the edge of the sphere, but you can see just a little bit of the whisker sticking out right below the speck.

[Chip]

I think that it's just a matter of perspective...

I agree...

I agree too. The other slight possibility is that the "whisker" blew away as there can be a breeze on Mars.

[01101001]

I'd be doubtful of actual "whiskers", seen as short white streaks, in MER images.

This time exposure (http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040311a/orion_pan_2-A067R1_br.jpg) of the night sky from the surface of Mars has lots of them. The short lines all in the same direction are stars that have apparent motion due to Mars' rotation. The other dots and streaks are likely the result of cosmic rays.