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NASA ’s Perseverance scouter has spotted an unusually unclouded - colored rock in Mars’Jezero Crater — the likes of which has never been see on the Red Planet before . According to project researchers , the foreign bowlder may hint at new item about Mars ' ancient past times .
The rock , dubbed " Atoko Point " after a similarly unaccented - colourize feature of the Grand Canyon , is " in a league of its own , " clearly standing out amidst all the darker boulders constellate the search area near the crater ’s Mount Washburn , the team write in a NASAstatement . Scientists catch their first glimpse of the rock and roll as part of an 18 - image mosaic take on May 27 .
An image taken by NASA’s Perseverance on May 27 while surveying Mount Washburn caught sight of the pale boulder “Atoko Point”.
Atoko Point is approximate to appraise 18 inches ( 45 centimeters ) wide and 14 inch ( 35 centimeter ) grandiloquent . Using the rover ’s camera instruments , SuperCam and Mastcam - Z , the scientists confirmed that the rock was made of pyroxene and felspar . The team speculated that the pale rock may have been transported from a different part of the planet via an ancient river , or mould underground by a physical structure of magma before at long last being revealed through wearing away .
" The diversity of texture and writing at Mount Washburn was an exciting discovery for the squad , as these rock lay out a catch grip of geologic gifts brought down from the volcanic crater rim and potentially beyond,“Brad Garczynskiof Western Washington University in Bellingham and co - lead of the current science campaign pronounce in the statement .
The research worker added that while Atoko is " first of its kind " spy on Mars , it almost certainly " wo n’t be the last " as Perseverance continues its mission toward the rim of Jezero Crater .
A map of Perseverance’s mission route along the Neretva Vallis river channel, the path to Bright Angel.
Related : NASA ’s Perseverance rover may already have found signs of life on Mars , find of ancient lake sediments reveals
Perseverance landed on Mars in February 2021 , and has been exploring Jezero Crater — a region thought to have once been an ancient lake — ever since . The wanderer ’s chief mission is to get signs of ancient life , and it has already gather 24 geological samples for succeeding study .
The current trip through Jezero Crater is part of Perseverance ’s fourth science campaign to find carbonate and olivine minerals along the volcanic crater ’s rim . On Earth , carbonates are usually found on the shallow surfaces of fresh water lake , take shape when carbon dioxide reacts with water . By analyse these minerals , scientist may catch a glimpse of theMars ' past C dioxide levels , an important indicator of its historic clime . Carbonates are also excellent mineral for preserve fogy , which may place to traces of ancient life , if they existed .
Recently , Perseverance has been doing a little roundabout way from Mount Washburn to reach " Bright Angel " , an area within theNeretva Vallischannel , an ancient river that once flow to Jezero Crater . The squad will decide whether to pick up a rock and roll heart sample as they survey the fresh territory .
