Curiosity Rover Takes Selfie on Mars

Yes, but have you ever taken a selfie on Mars ? The Curiosity rover on Mars has. This selfie was compiled from many smaller images -- which is why the mechanical arm holding the camera is not visible. (Although its shadow is!) Taken in mid-2015, the featured image shows not only the adventurous rover, but dark layered rocks , the light colored peak of Mount Sharp , and the rusting red sand that pervades Mars . If you look closely , you can even see that a small rock is stuck into one of Curiosity's aging wheels . Now nearing the end of 2017, Curiosity continues to explore the layers of sedimentary rocks it has discovered on Vera Rubin Ridge in order to better understand , generally, the ancient geologic history of Mars and, specifically, why these types of rocks exist there. Now Available: The 2018 APOD Calendar