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NASA Turns Selfies By Mars Rover Into Stunning Self-Portrait

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP)NASA has transformed selfies taken by its Mars rover Curiosity into a stunning self-portrait.

Released this week, the photo shows Curiosity in the middle of the dusty, red Martian terrain, with Mount Sharp in the background. The rim of Gale Crater is also visible.

Curiosity Mars rover
This self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle on Vera Rubin Ridge, which it's been investigating for the past several months. Poking up just behind Curiosity's mast is Mount Sharp, photobombing the robot's selfie. (credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

A small, self-focusing camera on the end of Curiosity's arm took the selfies. Dozens of pictures, all snapped January 23, were used to create the mosaic.

Curiosity has been roaming Mars since 2012. Its next stop is the slope shown in the self-portrait, where it will probe what's believed to be clay-rich soil.

NASA is getting ready to put another lander on Mars, a robotic geologist named InSight. Liftoff is targeted for May from California.

(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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