Photo #1 (November 2006)

 Mars rover 'Opportunity' at Victoria Crater on Mars
 

The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.
                                                     - Rachel Carson

Credit: Mars Exploration Rover Mission, Cornell, JPL, NASA 

 
Reaching the expansive Victoria Crater has been a goal for the robot Opportunity rover rolling across Mars for the past 21 months. Opportunity reached Victoria last week, and is cautiously probing the stadium-sized crevice. It is hoped that Victoria Crater will show a deep stack of layers uncovered by the initial impact, and hence new clues into the ancient surface history of Mars. Visible in the distance of the above image mosaic is the far rim of Victoria Crater, lying about 800 meters away and rising about 70 meters above the crater floor. The alcove in front has been dubbed Duck Bay. Victoria crater has about five times the diameter of Endurance Crater, which Opportunity spent six months exploring. If a safe path is found, Opportunity may actually attempt to enter Victoria Crater.

(See also Photograph #3 from the Mars Orbiter)