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Messy Grind

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the results of grinding of its first target with the rock abrasion tool. The grinding process at 'McKittrick' generated a significant amount of fine-grained, reddish dust.
PIA05510
Credits: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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Description

This image shows the results of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's grinding of its first target with the rock abrasion tool, located on its instrument deployment device, or "arm." The target, called "McKittrick," is located on the "El Capitan" region of the rock outcrop at Meridiani Planum, Mars.

The grinding process at "McKittrick" has generated a significant amount of fine-grained, reddish dust. Color and spectral properties of the dust show that it may contain some fine-grained crystalline red hematite. This image is an enhanced color composite generated from three different panoramic camera filters.