January 26, 2006
Every candle on your cake is a tiny imitation of the stars that made you possible.
An Unusual Two-Toned Rock on Mars
Birthday · January 26, 2006
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APOD published January 26, 2006. Full image credits are on the original APOD entry below. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
How did this unusual Martian rock form? The atypical two-toned rock, visible in the lower right of the above image, was photographed a few days ago by the robotic Spirit rover currently rolling across Mars. For now, the environmental processes that created the rock remain a matter of speculation. Finding unusual rocks is not unusual for Spirit or its twin rover Opportunity, however. Over the past two years, for example, the rovers have unexpectedly discovered very small gray pebbles dubbed blueberries, and a rock out in the middle of nowhere now thought to be a meteorite. Having investigated alien terrain and having found clear evidence that part of Mars had a wet past, the Earth-launched Martian rovers are now entering their third spectacular year exploring the red planet.