Southern Basin Pan

         This is the Spirit Pancam "Southern Basin" panorama, acquired on sols 594, 595, and 597 (Sept. 4, 5, and 7, 2005). The mosaic was taken while Spirit was exploring the broad plateau at the summit of Husband Hill. From this position, the team could obtain their best view towards the south, at the terrain that Spirit would be driving through over the next few months. From this vantage point, the enigmatic, circular feature known as Home Plate can be seen in the distance, just over a kilometer south from the rover's location atop the hill. The panorama spans over 160 degrees and consists of images obtained in 36 individual pointings and 6 Pancam filters at each pointing, using the camera's 753nm, 535nm, and 432nm filters.

         Also provided on this page is the long-baseline stereo anaglyph version of the Spirit "Southern Basin" panorama. Spirit obtained this stereo panorama of the surrounding Martian terrain in Gusev Crater from two positions about 10 meters (33 feet) apart. This is much greater separation than the 30-centimeter (11.8-inch) distance between the left and right "eyes" of the Pancams. The effect of increasing the separation distance of a stereo image is to greatly increase the apparent (visual) depth, allowing scientists and engineers to see details in terrain that are too far away for the standard baseline. Stereo images such as these enable planetary scientists to derive detailed information about slopes and topography, map the terrain, and select routes for the rover. Spirit descended from Haskin Ridge, on the left, down the slopes of Husband Hill into the Southern Basin, the low region seen here between Husband Hill and McCool Hill to the south. The rover set out towards Home Plate (just to the right of the center of the image) with the intention of arriving before the Martian winter. It took seven martian days, from sols 591 to 597 (Sept. 1 to Sept. 7, 2005), for Spirit's Pancam to acquire all the images combined into this mosaic. This panorama covers a field of view just over 160 degrees from left to right. This stereo view is presented in a cylindrical-perspective projection with geometric seam correction. The stereo image may be viewed with standard blue and red 3-D glasses, with the red lens on your left eye.

Jim Bell
Pancam Instrument Lead
December 14, 2005