Penny For Your Martian Thoughts: This Is How A Coin Looks After 14 Months On The Red Planet

universetoday.com ^ | October 9, 2013 | Elizabeth Howell on

[BenLurkin]

A high-power camera on the Mars Curiosity rover snapped a picture of a 1909 American penny featuring Abraham Lincoln. The coin is used as a calibration target for the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) that is at the end of Curiosity’s robotic arm. In just over an Earth year on the Red Planet, you can see the bright copper is muted by lots of Mars dust.

Although the image has public relations appeal, there are scientific reasons behind picking that particular calibration target. It is supposed to measure how well the camera is performing, which is important as it zooms in on interesting features on Mars.

[wally_bert]

Which movie is that from?

[Alex Murphy]

Which movie is that from?

Ray Harryhausen's First Men In The Moon.

[Army Air Corps]

What movie is that? It looks familiar.

[TBP]

Holding up pretty well, it seems.

[a fool in paradise]

Here's a closeup view of that "face on Mars". Still looking for the flag planted by astronauts...

[GSWarrior]

I was wondering where I left it. Thanks.

[henkster]

Looks like a Philadelphia Mint 09; back then Philly didn’t put the “P” under the date, but Denver and San Francisco did.

The S VDB would have cost a pretty penny, so I’m surprised the government didn’t waste money using one.

Maybe they should have used an 1894 O Barber Dime.

[ScottinVA]

HEY!!! Finders keepers!!!!

[ScottinVA]

Nope... apparently “just” a non-VDB plain 1909.

[ScottinVA]

Maybe they should have used an 1894 O Barber Dime.

Or a 1916 Standing Liberty quarter (Lotsa $$$$ in value!!)

[Mike Darancette]

Like to have that coin in my collection.

[going hot]

cheapskates