Opportunity Mars rover - on the lookout for a winter haven. Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
Opportunity's Traverse Map Through Sol 2781. Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/University of Arizona
While NASA’s Curiosity rover is en route to Mars, the Opportunity robot has been busy scoping out sites for the approaching winter on the red planet.
Opportunity is on the prowl for locations with a favorable northerly tilt on the north end of Cape York on the rim of Endeavour Crater. Such sites need to be identified to ensure the maximum amount of sunlight falls upon Opportunity during the upcoming winter on Mars.
There are two candidate sites for winter havens that indicate sufficient northerly tilt.
Opportunity landed on Mars in January 2004.
By Leonard David