Cape Verde Approach

         On Sols 1579 and 1580 (July 2-3, 2008), Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity took this dimly lit mosaic of Cape Verde. Imaging the cape from this position in Victoria Crater isn't easy. The geometry is such that the cape is between the rover and the sun, which causes a range of negative effects, from glinting off Pancam's dusty front windows to shadowing on the cliff face. This mosaic was taken just after the sun disappeared over the crater rim, at about 5:30 local solar time, while the atmosphere was still lit but no direct sun hit the wall of Cape Verde. The result is a high resolution view of Cape Verde in relatively uniform lighting across the scene.
         Victoria Crater is about 800 meters (one-half mile) wide, and lies over 5 kilometers (almost 4 miles) away from Opportunity's Eagle Crater landing site. This image was taken from within the crater, using Pancam's empty L1 filter. A high resolution version is provided below. Also offered is an annotated HiRISE image showing the rover's approximate location at the time of imaging.

Jim Bell
Pancam Instrument Lead
July 26, 2008