The Perseverance rover first landed in Jezero Crater in February 2021.
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover recently discovered a strange “zebra rock” on Mars' Jezero Crater that is completely different from any rock seen before on the Red Planet. The US space agency wrote in a blog post that it could be “a sign of exciting discoveries to come”. The rover captured photos of the black-and-white striped rock earlier this month using a camera mounted on its mast. The team said they spotted the rock in the distance “with hints of unusual texture” in low-resolution photos while passing through “unusual pebbled terrain”.
According to the statement, the rock, which scientists have named “Freya Castle,” has a texture that has never been seen before. “The science team thinks this rock has a texture that is different from any rock seen in Jezero Crater and perhaps across Mars. Our knowledge of its chemical composition is limited, but initial interpretations suggest that igneous and/or metamorphic processes may have created its streaks,” NASA wrote.
The strange-looking rock is about 20cm wide and has a striking pattern of alternating black and white stripes, the agency said. NASA said it is a loose boulder that is clearly distinct from the underlying bedrock, and added that it “probably came from elsewhere, perhaps rolled downhill from an above-ground source”.
“This possibility has us excited, and we hope that as we move upward, Perseverance will encounter this new rock outcrop, allowing for more detailed measurements,” NASA's statement further said.
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The Perseverance rover first landed in Jezero Crater in February 2021 and is searching for rocks that could provide information and insights into the ancient history of Mars. It is currently climbing the steep slopes of Jezero Crater. In recent days, the rover has traveled on flat terrain, according to the statement.
Perseverance has completed four scientific missions on Mars so far, and the foray into the crater is the start of a fifth, called the Crater Rim Expedition. The rover is looking for signs of ancient life and clues about the Red Planet's early history. It has already made potentially significant discoveries, including ancient lake sediments that may contain microbial fossils.
Freya Castle is one of many interesting rocks spotted by Perseverance at Jezero Crater.