Explained: "Lizard Found on Mars Rover" [Dust Removal Tool]

Mick West

Administrator
Staff member
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An an amusing example of pareidolia, a youtube poster claimed to have spotted a lizard jumping onto the Mars Curiosity Rover

In fact what he has seen is the dust removal tool on the MAHLI



https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Camera_on_Curiosity's_Robotic_Arm.jpg

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It's not there in later photos because the tool rotates at the end of the arm for different functions - drilling, dust removal, analysis, camera.

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Curiosity Raw Images:
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/

This image is from the Right NavCam Sol 1640
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?s=1640&camera=NAV_RIGHT_
 
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Last night, I posted a link to this page on the 'lizard' YT video page. Today my comment is gone, and no comments are allowed... The truth hurts.
 
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