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.

                              2026 February 22
     [2]A black and white image shows an unusual landscape with a bright
    ridge across the top and texture like small sand dunes. The shadow of
   something unusual dominates the image center. Wheels are visible at the
    bottom of the image. near the middle. Please see the explanation for
                         more detailed information.

                          Shadow of a Martian Robot
      Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]JPL, [5]Mars Exploration Rover Mission

   Explanation: What if you saw your shadow on Mars and it wasn't
   [6]human? Then you might be the [7]Opportunity rover exploring Mars.
   Opportunity explored the [8]Red Planet from 2004 to 2018, finding
   [9]evidence of ancient water, and sending breathtaking images across
   the inner [10]Solar System. Pictured [11]here in 2004, [12]Opportunity
   looks opposite the Sun into [13]Endurance Crater and sees its own
   [14]shadow. Two wheels are visible on the lower left and right, while
   the floor and walls of the unusual crater are [15]visible in the
   background. Caught in a [16]dust storm [17]in 2018, [18]Opportunity
   stopped responding, and NASA stopped trying to contact it in 2019 and
   declared the [19]ground-breaking mission, originally planned for only
   92 days, [20]complete.

                      Tomorrow's picture: [21]dust blue
     __________________________________________________________________

      [22]< | [23]Archive | [24]Submissions | [25]Index | [26]Search |
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     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [37]Specific rights apply.
            [38]NASA Web Privacy, [39]Accessibility, [40]Notices;
                A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC,
                         [44]NASA Science Activation
                           & [45]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2602/marsshadow_opportunity_1024.jpg
   3. https://www.nasa.gov/
   4. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/
   5. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-exploration-rovers-spirit-and-opportunity/
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190818.html
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-exploration-rovers-spirit-and-opportunity/
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/mars/
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap040303.html
  10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_system
  11. https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/opportunity-me-my-shadow/
  12. https://science.nasa.gov/missions/mer/six-things-to-know-about-nasas-opportunity-rover/
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap040510.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap990830.html
  15. https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/opportunity-catches-its-shadow-on-sol-180/
  16. https://64.media.tumblr.com/fe85f6b82c2d7abb93cbdc21234e9090/tumblr_nq4v3qSYil1s5laego1_500.jpg
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190215.html
  18. https://youtu.be/1Ll-VHYxWXU
  19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pun
  20. https://mars.nasa.gov/news/8413/nasas-opportunity-rover-mission-on-mars-comes-to-end/
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260223.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260221.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260222
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260223.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  45. http://www.mtu.edu/