this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2024
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NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover

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A lemmy community for scientific discussion of the Curiosity Rover and Mars Science Laboratory.

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Captured by Curiosity's MAHLI camera on September 29, 2024 (Sol 4318)

For scale the Lincoln Penny has a diameter of 0.75 inches (19.05 mm)

Fun fact: They used a 1909 Lincoln VDB penny for the calibration target as the rover was supposed to launch during 2009, 100 years after the coin was minted and 200 years after the birth of Abraham Lincoln. Technical issues delayed the launch, but the penny was already fitted to the calibration target.

Can anyone spot the Martian in the image? :)

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[–] HakFoo@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They couldn't spring for the S-VDB?

In the year 2680 we bring it back to Earth, and PCGS grades it "XF details, environmental damage"

[–] paulhammond5155@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

They couldn’t spring for the S-VDB?

Those S-VDB's are a tad pricey 😂 😂 😂

I'd hate to think what a numismatist with deep pockets would pay for that VDB, if it was ever brought home, no matter what its PCGS grade ... 🤯