Mars is a planet devoid of all biological life as we know it – but that doesn’t mean it’s unoccupied.
At present the Red Planet is home to several active probes on the ground, including the Curiosity (landed 2012) and Opportunity (landed 2004), not to mention the numerous orbiting instruments flying above its atmosphere.
Opportunity is among the most impressive of those launched.
Originally intended to last a mere 90 days, the exploration rover has now spent over 150 months photographing the planet’s rocky terrain, and has just reached a significant target in its journey: Perseverance Valley on the western edge of the Endeavour Crater.
Here’s a look at its path through the ancient fluid valley in early 2017:
And here are some of the images this amazing little robot has captured in its 13 years as a Martian instrument:
Look out for the hazy blue cloud of dust in the top left hand corner of this image.
You don’t need to be an astrophysics nut to be blown away by those views.
