NASA/JPL-CaltechBy CATHERINE THORBECKE, ABC News
(NEW YORK) — NASA released an immersive new panoramic image with 360-degree views of Mars on Wednesday that was taken by its Perseverance rover.
The photo is the latest in a series being sent back by the rover, which arrived at the red planet last week.
The rover, nicknamed “Percy,” snapped the image by rotating its head 360 degrees to allow its Mastcam-Z instrument to capture Mars’ Jezero Crater from all angles.
The panorama was stitched together from more than 140 images to show the Martian landscape in new detail.
I’m taking it all in. This is the first 360º view of my home using Mastcam-Z. This dual, high-definition camera system sits atop my mast and has zoom capability. Inspect tiny details of Jezero Crater with the special interactive viewer at https://t.co/roDhWK56gj #CountdownToMars pic.twitter.com/TAy28PpG73
— NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover (@NASAPersevere) February 24, 2021
Perseverance is NASA’s most sophisticated rover yet, featuring more than two dozen cameras and a slew of other technology to help it explore its new home and send back detailed images.
Earlier this week, NASA also released audio sounds of Mars, which captured both the mechanical sounds of the rover and a Martian breeze.
The rover is tasked with searching for signs of ancient life on the red planet and paving the way for eventual human exploration.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.