Out-of-this-world Mars photos celebrate rovers' 10th anniversary
WASHINGTON -- It was 10 years ago that two Mars Rovers -- Spirit and Opportunity -- after a journey of seven months, bounced onto the Martian surface and began to explore while beaming hundreds of thousands of photos back to Earth.
John Grant is the curator of a new exhibit of Mars rover photos at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington. He says one of his favorite photos is of the tracks from Opportunity.
"And
it is a very desolate plain showing how the rover is just sort of moving by itself across
the surface of Mars," he says. "Reminiscent of a ship out in the
middle of the ocean."
1,058 Mars One applicants make first cut
Mars rover explores ancient lakebed for signs of past life
Some photos make visitors feel like they're standing on Mars, like one of a sunset.
Grant hopes the exhibit will help pass along his passion for discovery to a new generation of scientists.
"When the kids come in, I want them to look at these images and say, 'I can do that. I want to do this. I want to go to Mars and be that person that stands on the planet,'" he says.
A planet that is even more photogenic than the Mars of science fiction.
