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Am I missing something? How was this photo taken... (imgur.com)

submitted ago by Mike-Bolton

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[–]Freedom_Grenade 41 points42 points ago

'set of 55 high-resolution images, which were stitched together to create this full-color self-portrait. '

[–]Mike-Bolton[S] 46 points47 points ago

So, they took a series of cleverly angled photos, cropped them to remove any visible arm or camera equipment, then stitched them together perfectly into what looks like a fish-eye lens shot. Is there not much to do on Mars?

[–]OKeeffe 11 points12 points ago

They said on twitter that they use these types of images to keep track of dust buildup, wear, etc.

[–]AATroop 3 points4 points ago

Honest question: What would they do in the case of dust build up? I'm sure the lenses have mechanisms for cleaning themselves, but what about gears and rotors?

[–]JackieLawless 4 points5 points ago

actually, they try and find a high point and let wind blow it off.

[–]OKeeffe 1 point2 points ago

I don't think they do anything. I could be wrong, but I think that the mission length is short enough that they figured it wouldn't become an issue.

[–]Mike-Bolton[S] 4 points5 points ago

Yeah, I saw something like that too, but you'd expect to see a rod of sorts extending around the rover taking photos from different angles.

[–]WoollyBugger 11 points12 points ago

C'mon, Mike Bolton. Quit being a no-talent ass clown.

[–]Mike-Bolton[S] 12 points13 points ago

Why should I have to change? He's the one who sucks.

[–]lurch00 5 points6 points ago

I'll be honest with you, I love his music, I do... I'm a Michael Bolton fan. For my money, I don't know if it gets any better than when he sings When a Man Loves a Woman.

[–]Howard_Beale 2 points3 points ago

I celebrate his entire catalog.

[–]RedditYeti 0 points1 point ago

Yea, I'm gonna need you to forfeit your copy of Office Space. You've watched it enough, mmkay? Thanks.

[–]2yrnx1lc2zkp77kp 3 points4 points ago

are you related to that singer guy?

[–]weissis -3 points-2 points ago

Office space reference? I hope so

[–]pumpmar 2 points3 points ago

dust on mars? by god! what shall we do!!

[–]maushu 2 points3 points ago

I don't know if you are being sarcastic or not but dust is one of the biggest passive problems for these machines.

[–]DJ_Ascii 12 points13 points ago

Presumably, the angles required are predetermined and the actual photo-taking is rather quick.

[–]SitnaltaPhix 6 points7 points ago

Is there not much to do on Mars?

There's plenty to do, but NASA is always on the hunt for that perfect, inspiring picture that blows people's minds.

[–]Shin-LaC 3 points4 points ago

But instead, they've found the one that will start the "Curiosity was a hoax" conspiracy.

[–]GODDAMNFOOL 2 points3 points ago

Have you been to Mars? It's a rather dull place.

[–]RedditYeti 1 point2 points ago

You're a goddamnfool.

[–]daats_end 3 points4 points ago

Thank you, I just assumed it was taken by a camera on the landing pod.

[–]mmpeezy 2 points3 points ago

There wasn't a landing pod

[–]TezzaMcJ 0 points1 point ago

But then why are there footprints on the left?

[–]GrizzBear97 0 points1 point ago

Oooohhhhh shit let the conspiracies roll

[–]sndzag1 0 points1 point ago

Your feet must look very strange. Those are the 4 dark patches are where the scoops were taken of the Martian soil.

[–]binzweed 26 points27 points ago

i could be wrong but i think it was taken with a camera of some sort.

[–]sndzag1 2 points3 points ago

On an arm, to be specific. It's a collage of a bunch of pictures taken with the arm camera (which you can not see here due to the way the panorama picture was composed and stitched together.)

[–]applegrumble 7 points8 points ago

ALIENS

[–]FluffyFuz 7 points8 points ago

Off to the left of the rover are what look like foot prints I think.... Wtf?

[–]superfgt 5 points6 points ago

Its the shovel that they use to scoop up dirt. Thats the holes left behind. Notice the angle?

[–]Mike-Bolton[S] 2 points3 points ago

Whoa... What are those?

[–]Pewking 2 points3 points ago

Scoops from the rover that scooped the dirt

[–]FluffyFuz 0 points1 point ago

I know, I didn't read the title of the the post and I thought that that was what the post was about.

[–]Mike-Bolton[S] 1 point2 points ago

They might merit their own post. I don't mean to get all 'conspiracy theory' here, but I am curious. Maybe a rock... got tipped over by the rover?

[–]dtfgator 0 points1 point ago

Almost looks like little "scoops" that could have been picked up by the rover for analysis. I mean, its only 4 marks, there would be a trail in and out of the image if an animal was there.

[–]FluffyFuz -1 points0 points ago

Could be.

[–]Naphthos 7 points8 points ago

Why is this in WTF?

[–]gjhgjh 2 points3 points ago

Supposedly the photo was taken with the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI). This is what MAHLI looks like. This is a computer model of Curiosity. MAHLI is on the end of the arm.

I do not see MAHLI or the arm in the OPs photo so that is a good sign but still if the photo is pieced together from other photos I'd expect to see at least a portion of the arm and it abruptly ending. I suspect I just don't know what I am looking for so I'm not seeing it.

[–]AdminWhore 1 point2 points ago

Bathroom mirror like all internet self pics.

[–]cream_of_justice 0 points1 point ago

CANNOT UNSEE TINY BLACK MAN

[–]TwinkleTwinkie 0 points1 point ago

It's on motherfucking MARS it can take as many self portraits as it wants!

[–]johnq-pubic 0 points1 point ago

This will get some nutjob conspiracy theorists foaming at the mouth.

[–]Hagathorthegr8 0 points1 point ago

Martians of course, I'm surprised Curiosity isn't pulling a duck face.

[–]Diabolical_Intention 0 points1 point ago

Obviously it asked a local to take a quick picture of him.

[–]13thmurder 0 points1 point ago

...you can see the photographer's reflection in the rover's camera's lens. what the fuck?!

[–]badger_the 0 points1 point ago

By Martians, duh!

[–]Mrmanu90 0 points1 point ago

I like the black guy in the porthole :)

[–]EvOllj 0 points1 point ago

its a composite image.

[–]gkiltz 0 points1 point ago

Camera on the mother craft!

[–]weinerschnozzle 1 point2 points ago

there's only one clear answer

[–]hamataro 0 points1 point ago

There's a twenty minute radio delay. So NASA could easily tell the rover to take a picture, then drive it into the frame when the delay ends.

[–]zynthesis1981 0 points1 point ago

Pictures are taken with a camera.

[–]patowan 4 points5 points ago

Controlled by this guy http://i.imgur.com/xwhkd.png

[–]randyfrak -1 points0 points ago

The Aliens, duh.

[–]N-Adenhart34 0 points1 point ago

Mirror?

[–]Mike-Bolton[S] 0 points1 point ago

I'm expecting there to be a really obvious answer, so I'm prepared for that.

[–]PointyOintment 2 points3 points ago

/r/answers

[–]sarahbryan6611 0 points1 point ago

A satellite telescope.

[–]zevron18 0 points1 point ago

Rovers are tested in a cordoned off area roughly 80 miles into a salt bed. Think death valley. Scientists would take over37,000 pictures from almost every angle.

[–]alastor136 -1 points0 points ago

if you look at the lens reflection, there is a guy standing in front of the rover.

[–]gjhgjh 0 points1 point ago

If you look closer at the lens reflection you'll notice that behind the "guy" the lower half is blueish and the upper half is pinkish. In other words the image in the lens reflection is upside-down. So unless the "guy" in the reflection is standing on his head it isn't a guy.

[–]alastor136 0 points1 point ago

dammit science, thou hast done me in.

*dies

[–]Geloze 0 points1 point ago

Panorama App if you ask me.. but I guess you shouldn't ask me.

[–]Cr3amy_G00dness -1 points0 points ago

Lance Armstrong. Duh.

This is a joke for the people who get butthurt about inaccuracy.

[–]kroatia04 -1 points0 points ago

It looks clean. Something isn't right.

[–]FrenQuezoid -1 points0 points ago

or its all a fake.. taken by a third party, in a desert in navada

[–]Iamninja28 -1 points0 points ago

They took that one from the landing pad's external camera. The "home base" for the Rover had 52 external cameras on it to view day/night shifts and spot the rover from afar.

So this isn't WTF.

Your welcome science.

[–]fightingoffmydemons -1 points0 points ago

Many of these type of Rover photos were taken here on Earth in deserts. The rover had to be tested for maximum incline/decline maneuverability. So NASA took the rover to deserts because it most closely mimicked the terrain of Mars.

[–]Anitor -1 points0 points ago

This was already explained

[–]basic_channel -5 points-4 points ago

it's clearly a mirror shot, jeeeesus

[–]typoeman -2 points-1 points ago

you know.... there could have just been a camera on the craft that brought it to the surface.... just saying. actually.. that make a lot of sense because if the rover failed for some reason they would want high def pictures to figure out what went wrong.

[–]RedBeeter 0 points1 point ago

face palm

[–]typoeman 0 points1 point ago

Apparently I'm missing something or missing a joke. I conceded to my ignorance. Teach me.

[–]typoeman -1 points0 points ago

but im only guessing here.

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