Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2023 May 2
   [2]A view of Mars from the Curiosity rover on Mars is pictured in black
     and white. Many rocks and hills are visible, with a hill containing
       many unusually flat rocks visible on the right. Please see the
                 explanation for more detailed information.

                           Flat Rock Hills on Mars
   Image Credit & Copyright: [3]NASA, [4]JPL-Caltech, [5]MSSS; Processing:
                             [6]Neville Thompson

   Explanation: Why are there so many flat rocks on Mars? Some views of
   plains and hills on [7]Mars show many rocks that are unusually flat
   when compared to rocks on Earth. One reason for this is a process that
   is common to both Mars and Earth: [8]erosion. The [9]carbon-dioxide
   [10]wind on Mars can act like sandpaper when it blows around gritty
   [11]Martian sand. This sand can create differential erosion, smoothing
   over [12]some rocks, while wearing down the tops of other long-exposed
   stones. The [13]featured image capturing [14]several hills covered with
   flat-topped rocks was taken last month by NASA's [15]Curiosity Rover on
   Mars. This robotic rover has now been rolling across Mars for ten years
   and has helped [16]uncover many details of the wet and [17]windy past
   of Earth's planetary neighbor. After taking this and [18]other images,
   Curiosity carefully navigated stones and slippery sand to climb up
   [19]Marker Band Valley.

                    Tomorrow's picture: black hole galaxy
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [31]Robert Nemiroff ([32]MTU) & [33]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([34]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [35]Specific rights apply.
              [36]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [37]ASD at [38]NASA / [39]GSFC,
                         [40]NASA Science Activation
                           & [41]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2305/FlatMars_CuriosityThompson_2713.jpg
   3. https://www.nasa.gov/
   4. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/
   5. https://www.msss.com/
   6. https://www.flickr.com/people/nev-t/
   7. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/mars/in-depth/
   8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erosion
   9. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/mars/in-depth/#otp_atmosphere
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150303.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190924.html
  12. https://geology.com/stories/13/rocks-on-mars/
  13. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nev-t/52814100597/in/pool-apods/
  14. https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/27373/n_r000_3783_edr100cylasb2208_autolm1/
  15. https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/home/
  16. https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission/science/results/
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap011017.html
  18. https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/27294/curiositys-360-degree-view-of-marker-band-valley/
  19. https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission-updates/?month=4&year=2023
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230501.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  29. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=230502
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230503.html
  31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  33. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  34. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  37. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  40. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  41. http://www.mtu.edu/