Paige Panorama

         The Spirit Pancam cameras acquired the "Paige" panorama on sol 758 (Feb. 19, 2006), after Spirit ascended to the top of "Home Plate." From this vantage point (to the east of the Gibson panorama acquired below the rim), the panorama shows the interior of the Home Plate feature, including additional exposures of the layered rocks observed at the bast of Home Plate, and dark rocks exhibiting both smooth and sponge-like "scoriaceous" textures. In the distance looms McCool Hill, at the base of which lies the reddish rock outcrop named "Oberth," which may be one of the regions Spirit studies during the Martian winter. Across Home Plate, "Von Braun" and "Goddard" Hills are partially visible.

         The panorama consists of 72 separate images in 4 different Pancam filters, and covers about 230 degrees of terrain around the rover. The first image is an approximate true color rendering using Pancam's 753nm, 535nm, and 432nm filters. Image-to-image seams have been eliminated from the sky portion of the mosaic to better simulate the vista a person standing on Mars would see. The second image is a false color rendering using the same filters, but presented to enhance the many striking but subtle color differences between rocks, soils, and hills in the scene.

         The limited spacial coverage of this panorama resulted from the steadily decreasing power available to the rover for science activities as the Martian winter arrives and the sun traces a lower path across the sky. The north-facing slopes on McCool Hill should sufficiently enhance the solar power available to the rover so that it can survive the winter.

Jim Bell
Pancam Instrument Lead
March 1, 2006