                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    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.

                                2021 June 15

                         Zhurong: New Rover on Mars
              Image Credit: China National Space Administration

   Explanation: There's a new rover on Mars. In mid-May, China's Tianwen-1
   mission delivered the Zhurong rover onto the red planet. As Mars means
   Planet of Fire in Chinese, the Zhurong rover's name means, roughly, God
   of Fire in Chinese mythology. Zhurong landed in northern Utopia
   Planitia, the largest known impact basin in the Solar System, and an
   area reported to have much underground ice. Among many other scientific
   instruments, Zhurong carries ground-penetrating radar that can detect
   ice buried even 100-meters deep. Car-sized Zhurong is pictured here
   next to its landing base. The image was snapped by a remote camera
   deployed by the rolling rover. Zhurong's planned 90-day mission
   includes studying the geology, soil, and atmosphere of Mars in Utopia
   Planitia.

                     Tomorrow's picture: stars are born
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

