NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover

[Eric Mc]

Very impressive. The moon covered much more of the sun than I expected.

[SpudLink]

Eric Mc said:

Very impressive. The moon covered much more of the sun than I expected.

I thought the same. But I didn’t realise it’s only 6000km above the surface.

[Oilchange]

Looks like a potato!

[Eric Mc]

Once an astronomical object gets below a certain size, it won't assume a spherical shape. It will look a lot lumpier and asymmetric - like a potato. Most small moons, asteroids and comets are like this.

[annodomini2]

Eric Mc said:

Once an astronomical object gets below a certain size, it won't assume a spherical shape. It will look a lot lumpier and asymmetric - like a potato. Most small moons, asteroids and comets are like this.

Mass and density, not size, theoretically you can have a black hole the size of an atom, which would likely be spherical.

[Eric Mc]

Agreed.

Although you are talking extremes when it comes to super dense objects like black holes or neutron stars.

For "normal" objects, such as small moons, asteroids and comets, which are relatively low density (compared to neutron stars), what I said holds true. I can only think of two or three asteroids that are roughly spherical. All others imaged so far are potato or peanut shaped.

[Greshamst]

annodomini2 said:

Eric Mc said:

Once an astronomical object gets below a certain size, it won't assume a spherical shape. It will look a lot lumpier and asymmetric - like a potato. Most small moons, asteroids and comets are like this.

Mass and density, not size, theoretically you can have a black hole the size of an atom, which would likely be spherical.

I feel like you’re being pedantic here, in context of the conversation.

[Russ35]

On its latest flight the Ingenuity helicopter has taken some photos of the parachute and back-shell that protected Perseverance on its landing descent.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-mars-helicopte...

[46and2]

Russ35 said:

On its latest flight the Ingenuity helicopter has taken some photos of the parachute and back-shell that protected Perseverance on its landing descent.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-mars-helicopte...

Incredible!

Even more incredible to think that in the next century or 2 people may be visiting these sites.

[MartG]

Russ35 said:

On its latest flight the Ingenuity helicopter has taken some photos of the parachute and back-shell that protected Perseverance on its landing descent.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-mars-helicopte...

Looks like the backshell came down hard on rock

[Eric Mc]

46and2 said:

Incredible!

Even more incredible to think that in the next century or 2 people may be visiting these sites.

I'd say a lot sooner than that.

[skeeterm5]

I wish they would fly the helicopter somewhere they haven’t been rather than over places they have been.

[Zad]

They haven't been there though, it is where the backshell and parachute ended up, some distance from the rover's landing point. They are inspecting it in order to see if the backshell had been damaged in descent, and if the parachute was damaged when it opened at supersonic atmospheric speeds. This is how engineering works, you use what you know about what works and what doesn't in order to make a better product. It isn't taking up any of the rover's resources, and the helicopter doesn't have any scientific instruments on-board.

[Oilchange]

Quite, would have been an own goal to not inspect your equipment that had only ever been used once in anger.

Anyway, we need to get to it before the little green men carry it off!

[SpudLink]

I don’t think inspecting it’s own descent gear was in the original plan for the Ingenuity ‘copter.
Having proved it works as designed, everything else is a bonus. It’s done a bit of exploring and path finding. Now it can help give additional feedback to improve future landings.

Flying robots exploring other planets! I still think that’s extraordinary.

[skeeterm5]

Fair enough, but I would love to see them fly it off over a hill where the rover isn’t and see what they see.

[MartG]

skeeterm5 said:

Fair enough, but I would love to see them fly it off over a hill where the rover isn’t and see what they see.

Won't happen - they need line of sight to maintain a radio link

[Fundoreen]

Miles and miles of featurless fkall most of the time. That phobos shot is the first interesting thing they have shown,ever.

[MartG]

Fundoreen said:

Miles and miles of featurless fkall most of the time. That phobos shot is the first interesting thing they have shown,ever.

Only featureless if you're not a geologist ( areologist ? )

[Greshamst]

Fundoreen said:

Miles and miles of featurless fkall most of the time. That phobos shot is the first interesting thing they have shown,ever.

You’re seeing a robot, being flown on another planet 33 million miles away… I find that incredibly interesting. Also I wouldn’t call Mars featureless, all the rock formations, layering, craters and dust storms tell a story of what the planet may have been like before it settled. I think it’s a bit harsh to call it fkall.