Curiosity Mars Rover Snaps 1.8 Billion-Pixel Panorama (narrated video)

NASA Curiosity Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada guides this tour of the rover's view of the Martian surface.

This panorama showcases "Glen Torridon," a region on the side of Mount Sharp that Curiosity is exploring. The panorama was taken between Nov. 24 and Dec. 1, 2019, when the Curiosity team was out for the Thanksgiving holiday. Since the rover would be sitting still with few other tasks to do while it waited for the team to return and provide its next commands, the rover had a rare chance to image its surroundings several days in a row without moving.

Composed of more than 1,000 images and carefully assembled over the ensuing months, the larger version of this composite contains nearly 1.8 billion pixels of Martian landscape.



Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

[ivareskesner]

Looking at this it's still hard to fathom that I'm looking at another planet. My brain keeps trying to draw parallels to what this looks like here on earth.

[SClerckx]

Something about this struck me so deeply. It's totally crazy, I'm like a glorified ape who is now able to watch the geographical features of another world in mind-boggling detail from the comfort of a plastic chair in a 15 story building on a magic screen thingy. We take all these things for granted but actually, it's all totally wild. We've come such a long way and there is so much more left to explore.

[jamppamaattori]

This is absolutely unbelievable and magical. Incredible that we're able to see so clearly what's it like on another planet.

[knusperhirsch]

Absolutely incredible. Everytime when I look to the stars I suddenly get extremely sad about the fact that I was born too early. I'll never in my life have a chance to explore the unknown universe and see other planets in all their beauty. What an experience this must be. I truly envy later generations.
Thank you so much for sharing this.

[tylerdowd]

I keep having to tell myself that this is literally a different planet. Almost can’t wrap my head around the concept

[edithpiaf]

I just can't get my head around the fact that THIS IS ANOTHER PLANET

[eds]

It’s amazing that we are looking at the surface of a neighbouring planet while there are those amongst us who believe the earth is flat.

[ekoden]

I think the narrator has it backwards... For an alien planet in our own solar system, the landscape looks remarkably Earthlike. Probably the coolest video of Mars I've ever seen.

[AngryKittens]

That 3-mile crater looks so tiny with nothing to give a true sense of perspective.

[Azerrz]

When he asked "Why are there severed tubes and wires on the Rover?" I was hoping he'd follow up with "Well Aliens attacked it"

[LukeLane]

This is so fascinating. It looks so familiar, yet so alien.

[josey_]

Astounding. Scary to beleive the entire planet for the most part looks like that. Wasteland.

[DrDaab]

How amazing to see Mars in my lifetime. What is even more amazing is the competence of all the people who made travel to Mars possible. These are some of the absolute smartest people on Earth.Congratulations to you all ! And THANK YOU !

[nats]

If I didn't know beforehand, I would have thought the picture was taken in Arizona, Nevada, even California's desert.

[AlLewisJr]

A thumbs up and a like is just not enough to express how incredible this is. So familiar and still so wild to know that we are looking at another planet.

[oldhamegg]

I told my 5 year old son he could be an astronaut and go to Mars one day.
He said he didn't want to go.
I asked, "Why not?"
He said, "I might get lost"

[psterud]

Whoa, Mars is flat too??? Just kidding. Super-cool. I especially loved seeing that 3-mi.-wide(!) crater in the distance.

[else-mariatennessen]

Truly amazing. Looks like parts of New Mexico! I love the tracks looking back into the distance.

[BlackEagle]

We just have to discover oil on Mars, then everything changes.

[BigJCedarRapids]

That is amazing! I've always pictured Mars with more of a "red" sky. Seeing the blue makes me feel all that more confident that we will one day colonize it!