iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 06/10/2026

Perseverance Mars Rover Outside Jezero Crater Sol 1999 (4th October, 2026) SHERLOC-WATSON cam studies a wrinkly outcrop S/D: 91/970 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Martian-Observer

A small rock subject, possibly part of a greater slab, sticking out from the regolith. It has a salt-and-pepper colouring with a particularly fine ripply, wrinkly, pitted texture.

2132

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 03/10/2026

If you are visiting the Sertis Major quadrangle, why not stop off at Kodiak butte station for a Martian coffee and rock cake at the Jezero crater visitor centre and museum

A London underground station sign with the name "KODIAK BUTTE"

010

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 03/10/2026

Perseverance Mars Rover Outside Jezero Crater Sol 1995 (30th September, 2026) A SHERLOC-WATSON cam examination of the new abrasion. S/D: 91/970 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Martian-Observer

Context overview of the shallow circular abrasion into the rock which has a sharp aggregate in rough cement texture.

A close up of the circular abrasion showing the rock's aggregate nature in more detail.

Another close up of the circular abrasion showing the rock's aggregate nature in more detail.

1134

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 21/09/2026

New study reveals that the shoreline in Jezero Crater, Mars, was shaped by a complex sequence of ancient lakes, groundwater systems, and hydrothermal fluids

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology:

A new study reveals that Jezero Crater’s enigmatic ‘Margin Unit’ was shaped by a complex sequence of ancient lakes, groundwater systems, and hydrothermal fluids.

Image: A Perseverance rover panorama of the “Margin Unit,” a geologic area that hugs the inner edge of Jezero Crater’s rim, captured between Oct. 8 and Oct. 16, 2023.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

062

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 01/06/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Outside Jezero Crater Sol 1,875 (30th May, 2026) Another view of the gnarly dragon head rock that the rover imaged last week and another interesting piece of rock Captured by Mastcam-Z S/D: 88/1214 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS/Martian-Observer

A large disintegrating congealed mess of rock, looking like it might have been formed in some violent event.

A jagged fragment from a larger rock sits on some churned up very dark regolith that has not been re-covered by airborne lighter-toned Martian dust yet.

42911

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 22/05/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover (22nd May, 2026) The rock floor in front of the rover on sol 1,867, in close ups SHERLOC WATSON Cam S/D: 88/1144 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS / Martian-Observer

Exposed ground rock with a rippled and pitted yet shiny surface made bluish by small fragments of blue-black rock, parts of the surface are covered by spots of matt purple Martian 'desert varnish' that have survived erosion.

Zoomed-in close up detail of one small section of the rock.

020

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 21/05/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Sol 1,865 (20th May, 2026) Interesting rock subjects, imaged for multispectral filter analysis MastCam-Z (Left) ZCAM04378, ZCAM04379, ZCAM04380 Captured @ ~13:30 local time S/D: 087/1070 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / MSSS / Martian-Observer

A rough congealed mess of eroding rock, there is a rover track passing behind it.

A larger (or perhaps closer) disintegrating congealed mess of rock, looking like it might have been formed in some violent event.

Smaller fragments of similar rock, sand ripples populate a slope in the distance.

1214

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 18/05/2026

NASA Mars2020 Perseverance Mastcam-Z Sol-1862 (17th May, 2026) A rock half-eaten by aeolian processes MastCam-Z (Left) ZCAM04377 Captured @ 15:01 lmst S/D: 088/844 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS/Martian-Observer

On a rise littered with smaller rock debris, a larger hunk of rock shows clear signs of having been carved and undermined by aeolian erosion processes over time.

14311

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 18/05/2026

NASA Mars2020 Perseverance Mastcam-Z Sol-1861 (15th May, 2026) MastCam-Z (Left) ZCAM04376 Captured @ 11:36 lmst S/D: 088/844 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS/Martian-Observer

A single piece of eroding rough lumpy conglomerate rock surrounded by small granules.

0145

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 04/05/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Sol 1,847 (1st May, 2026) Context images for the abrasion on sol 1844 MastCam-Z (Left + Right) ZCAM09902 Captured @ 12:10 lmst S/D: 088/0 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / MSSS / Martian-Observer

Left 'eye': A shallow circular abrasion in the rock surface with light coloured debris dust.

Right 'eye': A shallow circular abrasion in the rock surface with light coloured debris dust.

2198

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 04/05/2026

Remembered particularly for "Sombrero Rock" (officially named Middle Mountain) from Perseverance sol 907 (8th Sept, 2023) Nasa team blog

Mastcam-Z image taken of Middle Mountain, nicknamed “sombrero rock”, as part of a multispectral observation on sol 907 to better understand its composition. This image was acquired on Sept. 8, 2023 (Sol 907) at the local mean solar time of 12:44:36.

This image of the sombrero rock is annotated with two measurements across its diameter

160

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 03/05/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Sol 1,844 (28th April, 2026) A new rock floor abrasion, in close ups SHERLOC_WATSON Cam @ ~14:12 lmst S/D: 088/0 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS / Martian-Observer Raw image source: mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mul...

A series of close-ups of the shallow circular percussive abrasion, revealing the nature of the rock just underneath the surface.

1197

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 27/04/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Sol 1,841 (25th April, 2026) A subject for Mastcam-Z multispectral filter imaging MastCam-Z (Left) ZCAM04361 Captured @ 13:33 local time S/D: 087/5154 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / MSSS / Martian-Observer

A rounded rock stands proud of the surrounding graded regolith, it's apparently shiny surface cleared of rusty brown dust

1244

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 27/04/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Sol 1,841 (25th April, 2026) Cropped from incoming MastCam-Z (Left) set ZCAM09899 Captured early afternoon S/D: 087/5154 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / MSSS / Martian-Observer

A larger, rounded, rock appears to be holding court, surrounded by a large gathering of various much smaller more angular rocks

1176

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 19/04/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Sol 1,834 (18th April, 2026) Small rock partially displaced from the grainy dust covered regolith by the rover's passage MastCam-Z (L+R) ZCAM04354 Captured 13:22-23 lmst S/D: 087/4184 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / MSSS / Martian-Observer

Subject seen through Mastcam-Z's right 'eye': The part of the rock that was under the regolith looks darker, as if wet, though it can't be, and regolith appears to have adhered to it.

Same subject but seen through Mastcam-Z's left 'eye'

33911

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 14/04/2026

As you may know, I have a particular thing for Martian sand ripples - anyway here's a crop from the Perseverance rover Mastcam-Z image that particularly caught my eye.

Martian sand ripples flow down the side of a rise past exposed ridges of tumbled broken rocks, as if a bronze-coloured worn velvet drape had been dropped over the rocky slope beneath.

23612

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 09/04/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Sol 1,824 (8th April, 2026) Abrasion close ups SHERLOC_WATSON Cam @ 17:54 local time S/D: 087/4084 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS / Martian-Observer

A series of close-ups of part of the shallow circular percussive abrasion revealing the nature of the rock just underneath the rock surface which appears consistently fine grained

010

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 09/04/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Sol 1,822 (5th April, 2026) Abrasion ZCAM04349 Captured 13:28 lmst S/D: 087/4084 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / MSSS / Martian-Observer

A shallow circular hole abraded into the rock surrounded by powdery debris stands out against the standard rusty-red Martian dust covered surface around it.

28110

Mars Observer's Mars Updates @mars.martian-observer.net · 08/04/2026

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover Sol 1,822 (5th April, 2026) Landscape imaged by ZCAM for spectral analysis. ZCAM04348 Captured 13:21 lmst S/D: 087/4084 CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / MSSS / Martian-Observer

Sand bars drifting over bedrock give way to a eroding small outcrop covered in tumbled rocks

1138