NASA Curiosity rover investigates shiny object on Mars

cnet.com ^ | November 29, 2018 10:21 AM PST | Amanda Kooser

[BenLurkin]

The target of Curiosity's curiosity is nicknamed "Little Colonsay" and it looks like a small nugget. The rover's ChemCam captured a close-up view of the object on Monday.

"The planning team thinks it might be a meteorite because it is so shiny," writes Curiosity team member Susanne Schwenzer. "But looks can deceive, and proof will only come from the chemistry."

uriosity's ChemCam is a suite of instruments that includes a camera, spectographs and a laser that helps NASA analyze the composition of Martian rocks and soil. The rover is scheduled to investigate Little Colonsay with the ChemCam to determine if it really is a meteorite.

NASA has spotted bright and shiny objects on Mars before. An odd bright piece seen by Curiosity in 2012 turned out to likely be a small plastic part from the rover. Another mystery particle from the same year was a little bit of Mars.

[Cementjungle]

About 100 million miles

[mikrofon]

Hmmm, could also be… SILVER!

[LostInBayport]

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

[South Dakota]

Jackson Lee thinks the astronauts left it there

[bunkerhill7]

It would appear to an uneducated space observer that the lower right hand corner is a carving of a Moby Dick whale eating something- The middle section appears to be an octopus or a lobster. But what do I know?

[Aliska]

iron pyrite?

[reed13k]

I was wondering if they used that name because it looks like a colostomy bag.

I’ve never heard of the island before.

[TXnMA]

"Paint Your Wagon" -- with Clint Eastwood?

[simpson96]

That’s from Treasure Of The Sierra Madre.

[P.O.E.]

Punxatawney Phil hand puppet?

[dragnet2]

spectographs

I think they mean spectrographs.

[PAR35]

4 eyed space seal sand swimming on its back

[BenLurkin]

Say that ten times fast.

[Clutch Martin]

An old UV’d can of Tab...

[Hootowl]

I hope you’re right. I can’t think of a quicker way to get Mars colonized.

[TXnMA]

Thanks!

[Chode]

all that $$$$$ and all we get is a B/W photo???

[Yulee]

Will this create a new gold rush?

[Windflier]

Man, I don’t know why you even bother posting science related articles here. Freepers just turn them into joke fests.