The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Mars Curiosity Rover (MRO) sent a postcard of Mars' Mount Sharp that showcased the amazing mountainous landscape of the Red Planet.

According to Tech Times, the compound image was captured on Sept. 9, Wednesday. The photo was pointing to the high parts of Mount Sharp, in which the foreground is stretch of ridge that is filled with an iron oxide, which is called hematite. It is situated about two miles (or 3 kilometers) from the MRO, which is rich in clay minerals and beyond that are also a multitude of rounded buttes that are high in sulfate minerals.

Like Us on Facebook

Mount Sharp's layers of transitioned mineralogy could predict the environment modified in the Red Planet's early life. All the changes were said to involve water exposure some billions of years ago. Curiosity rover team aims to explore the dynamic sections in the coming months and/or years.

The image of the postcard featured as well distinct light-toned cliffs in rock that can be seen in the background. The cliffs were formed when environmental situations were drier and it is currently disintegrated or eroded by winds present also in the planet.

However, as reported by Sci-News, the colors in the postcard's view are adjusted so that the rocks would more or less look like the ones on Earth, which help scientists in interpreting the rocks on Mars. The "white balancing" is done to adjust the lighting on the planet that compensates for the absence of color blue on the Red Planet. It makes the sky appear light blue, and sometimes the adjustment gives dark, black rocks a blue cast for distinction purposes.

Dr. Ashwin Vasavada, MSL Deputy Project Scientist of NASAs Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California, said that the postcard sent by MRO is the plan on making the Curiosity drive through the lower parts of the hills in the future.

MRO has been working on the Red Planet since August 2012. It has reached the base of Mount Sharp in December 2014 after its fruitful investigation near its landing site and treks to the peak. It is recently on the lower slopes of the mountain in Stimson Unit region that is covered in sandstone.

TagsMars Curiosity rover, NASA, red planet, mount sharp, postcard