Mars Index - Top Ten MER Images - Top Raw Images
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In the center of this image is a cross-shaped assembly of scientific instruments at the end of the rover's robotic arm, photographed from above. Two horizontal, tubular projections and a box-shaped vertical projection carry the rock abrasion tool, the Mössbauer spectrometer, the alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer, and the microscopic imager. The rover's arm extends from beneath the front edge of two solar panels at the bottom of the image. The entire assembly casts a shadow on the flat, sandy surface below.

Lending a Hand
At the end of the rover's arm is a fist-full of scientific instruments that help scientists analyze the past and present martian environment.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell