Nothing Special   »   [go: up one dir, main page]

Jump to content

Barnacle Bill (Martian rock)

Coordinates: 19°20′N 33°33′W / 19.33°N 33.55°W / 19.33; -33.55
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Barnacle Bill rock
Sojourner rover next to the "Barnacle Bill" rock
Feature typeRock
Coordinates19°20′N 33°33′W / 19.33°N 33.55°W / 19.33; -33.55

Barnacle Bill is a 40-centimetre (16 in) rock on Mars in Ares Vallis. It was the first rock on Mars analyzed by the Sojourner rover using its Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer. The encounter occurred during Sol 3 of the Mars Pathfinder mission on the surface of Mars and took ten hours to complete.

"Barnacle Bill" rock - close-up

Early analysis of data sent from Sojourner led scientists to speculate that the rock was andesite.

The name was inspired in mission scientists by barnacle-like structures on the rock that appeared in transmitted photos.

See also

[edit]
[edit]