NASA's Perseverance rover has discovered an unusual black and white striped rock in the Jezero Crater on Mars. Named “Freya Castle” by scientists, the rock has a distinctive texture and form that has never been seen before on the Red Planet. The discovery was made in September using a camera mounted on the rover's mast. Despite having already left the area, images were captured and analysed after Perseverance moved on, sparking interest among scientists about the rock's origin and composition.
What is Freya Castle?
Freya Castle is about 20 cm wide and is thought to have been formed by igneous or metamorphic processes. NASA scientists suggest that these streaks may be caused by the crystallization of magma or changes in the rock due to high temperatures and pressure. Since the rock is different from the underlying bedrock, it probably originated from another location and rolled into its current position in the crater.
looking for more clues
NASA representatives are eager to learn more about Freya Castle, hoping to find more rocks like it as the rover continues its journey. Perseverance is currently traveling along the slopes of Jezero Crater, where it first arrived in February 2021. The rover's crater rim campaign is its fifth major mission on Mars, focused on searching for signs of ancient life and learning about the planet's early geological history.
Perseverance's previous discoveries
Throughout its tenure on Mars, Perseverance has made many fascinating discoveries, ranging from ancient lake sediments to other unusual rock formations. Art Thompson, Perseverance project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, expressed excitement about what the team might find as the rover continues exploring new areas.