Update - The rock abrasion tool on Spirit drilled the first human-made hole in a rock on Mars . . .

NASA - JPL ^ | 02-07-2004 | NASA/JPL

[Phil V.]

SPIRIT UPDATE: The rock abrasion tool on Spirit drilled the first human-made hole in a rock on Mars…EVER! - sol 34, Feb 06, 2004

"The RAT performed beyond our expectations," beamed Steve Gorevan, of Honeybee Robotics, New York, lead scientist for the rock abrasion tools on both rovers. "With the docile cutting parameters we set, I didn't think that it would cut this deep. In fact, when we saw virtually a complete circle, I was thrilled beyond anything I could have ever dreamed. Following up that glorious circular brushing - it's like back-to-back homers."

This image, taken by Spirit's panoramic camera shows the circular, 2.65millimeter hole that will be further examined by the microscopic imager in the coming sols.

Although Gorevan and his team took a few moments to celebrate, they have already begun thinking about making more holes. The rock outcrop that Opportunity is heading toward has had the RAT team salivating since it was first revealed. With the first successful drilling under their belts, they are anxious to sink their teeth in again.

[alnitak]

Because it's a mono CCD camera, with various filters that can be used in front of it. If you just want to have a look-see mono is faster to shoot and takes less bandwidth to transmit to earth. I presume the science guys would rather have more B&W pictures than 3 times fewer colour ones (A colour pic requires you to take 3 separate exposures). Besides we know the colour - it's red :-)

That said, I hope Opportunity takes some colour photos of that rock outcrop.

There is no such thing as a colour CCD sensor. They are all basically just electronic photon counters, even the "colour" ones in eg. consumer digital cameras actually have an RGB colour filter matrix laid over the top of the pixels.

[longtermmemmory]

mars as a gigantic rock tumbler?

[Phil V.]

I've seen a lot of posts bemoaning the fact that NASA's pictures aren't in color, but I haven't seen an explanation for why they're not. Anyone?

. . . here's one . . .

The color is produced from the raw pics taken through different filters. This process apparently yields more scientific information.

[Phil V.]

Wow! Those spheres are microscopic images? They look like electron microscopy. . . .

The area is approx 1.2" sq.

[Spiff]

[FRgal4u]

that's a good one - Martian magic shrooms...

[VadeRetro]

Friendly Melt^TM! Just used my last bag today and my driveway is still a bobsled run.

[ancient_geezer]

Yep, definitely looks like an artifact of intelligent life on mars!!!

[prion]

The area is approx 1.2" sq.

That's unusual depth of field for that scale.

[johnny7]

They'll be an excellent, high-cost replacement for the gravel in fish-tanks! This is bigger than TANG®!

[Phil V.]

Git that crap outa here . . . this is a series discussion!

[Virginia-American]

Those little spheres... is there any process other than surface tension that causes sphericity? I can't think of any off the top of my head. Therefore, it's either evidence of former liquid water, or something like tektites.

[tubebender]

Young Bocci Balls?

[Spiff]

[Chris Talk]

Compare this to the spheres in Costa Rica, those were never explained.

[ancient_geezer]

baby bowling balls! I should know, I grow em in my backyard.

[Phil V.]

Dig out your antique stereoscope and take a gander. Friendly Melt^TM probably won't help much here. Perhaps Noxema?

[VadeRetro]

Looks like somebody dropped a glazed pastry in a mud puddle.

[Marie]

Domino's Dots?

[Arkinsaw]

The rock abrasion tool on Spirit drilled the first human-made hole in a rock on Mars

Actually it was Beagle 2 that made the first human-made hole in a rock on Mars.