July 5, 1997
The story of your birthday began billions of years before calendars existed, in furnaces of light and clouds of dust.
Pathfinder on Mars
Birthday · July 5, 1997
A little universe, just for you
Your date.
Ready to give.
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APOD published July 5, 1997. Full image credits are on the original APOD entry below. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
Yesterday, July 4th, using its own array of fireworks, a parachute, and a cocoon of airbags, the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft successfully bounced and came to rest on the surface of Mars at 10:07 AM Pacific Daylight Time. And the news is wonderful - the spacecraft appears to be in good health after having performed its complicated landing sequence superbly. Above is a mosaic of images from the martian surface transmitted shortly after Pathfinder reestablished communication with its mission operators on Earth. The solar powered, two foot long, 25 pound Mars Sojourner robot rover is visible crouched on the unfolded spacecraft. Surrounding Pathfinder are deflated airbags and a rock-strewn terrain. In the distance martian hills appear against a dusty brownish sky. The IMP camera which produced this view is also capable of stereo images and promises further spectacular pictures from Mars.