Gallery: Mission of the Year: Best of Curiosity Rover's Incredible Journey
01ultimate-self-portrait-2
After an acrobatic plunge through the Martian atmosphere, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity touched down safely in Gale Crater. Immediately, the rover began shooting photos, beaming them back to scientists and engineers waiting eagerly on Earth. Here, we've gathered some of our favorite images from (and of) Curiosity. __Above:__ Ultimate Self-Portrait ---------------------- Curiosity has taken many pictures of itself, but this one — from Mars day 84 — is probably our favorite. The high-res photo combines 55 images and shows the rover parked near a site named "Rocknest," where it scooped its first sample of Mars soil. Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16239.html)
02ultra-high-res-descent-video
Ultra High-Res Descent Video ---------------------------- You can take the plunge with Curiosity as it descends into Gale Crater. This ultra-high-res video, filmed by a camera on the rover's belly, captures the rover's landing sequence from the moment the protective heat shield popped off until the rover's dusty touchdown. It's unlike anything we've ever seen before. Video: [Bard Canning](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Esj5juUzhpU&feature=youtu.be)
03parachuting-into-gale
Parachuting Into Gale --------------------- Curiosity's daring descent into Gale crater was captured by a camera aboard a different spacecraft: NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which managed to get a shot of Curiosity parachuting to the Martian surface. Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4242)
04first-image-after-touchdown
First Image After Touchdown --------------------------- "It's a wheel!" Moments after Curiosity landed safely, shouts from team members in mission control at JPL described the first image beamed back to Earth by the rover: this photo, which includes Curiosity's rear left wheel. Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4213)
05catching-sky-cranes-descent-stage-biting-the-dust
Catching Sky Crane's Descent Stage Biting the Dust -------------------------------------------------- In the first of these photos, snapped moments after landing, a plume of dust can be seen rising from the crater floor behind the rover. In the second picture, taken 45 minutes later, the plume is gone. Scientists think they caught the cloud formed by the descent stage — used to lower the rover on cables to the Martian surface — as it crashed into Mars. Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4406)
06behold-mount-sharp
Behold, Mount Sharp! -------------------- This first image of the summit of Mount Sharp — the pile of sediments rising from the floor of Gale Crater — came back to Earth the day after Curiosity landed. Eventually, the rover will begin to climb the mountain and read the history of Mars in its rocky layers. Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4271)
07first-self-portrait
First Self Portrait ------------------- Three days after it landed, the rover returned its first full self portrait to team members back on Earth. The 360-degree portrait was taken by one of Curiosity's navigation cameras, located on the rover's mast. Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4346)
08distant-crater-wall
Distant Crater Wall ------------------- The first high-res images from Curiosity's Navigation Cameras captured the rover in the foreground, with Gale Crater's craggy rim rising in the distance. Scour marks near the rover were left by the sky crane's retrorockets, fired during landing to keep the rover from crashing to Mars. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech
09six-more-weeks-of-winter
Six More Weeks of Winter ------------------------ On day 12, Curiosity lifted her head and saw her own shadow. This image is one of 26 stitched together to [form a full panorama](http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16074). Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech](http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16074)
10mount-sharp-close-up
Mount Sharp, Close-Up --------------------- This beautiful, zoomed-in view of the base of Mount Sharp was captured on Aug. 23. The pointy mound in the middle stretches 1,000 feet across and is 300 feet tall. Eventually, Curiosity will begin exploring these colorful layers. Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4569)
11360-degree-color-panorama
360-Degree Color Panorama ------------------------- This beautiful, full-color panorama is a mosaic of images taken by Curiosity's 2-megapixel MastCams. Released on Aug. 27, the scene shows the crater's hazy, far-off rim and Mount Sharp looming nearby. An [interactive, zoom-able panorama](http://http://www.panoramas.dk/mars/curiosity-first-color-360.html) brings the Martian landscape to life. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech
12hi-guys
Hi, Guys. --------- Curiosity's most adorable self-portrait comes courtesy of the camera on its extendable arm. *Images: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems.](http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/685361main_pia16149-full_full.jpg)*
13laser-rock-on-mars
Laser Rock on Mars ------------------ Curiosity's first laser-target was this pyramid-shaped rock, photographed on Mars day 43, and named after deceased team member Jake Matijevic. After lasering Jake with the ChemCam instrument and studying its composition, the team determined that the rock — while similar to that found on the Hawaiian islands — represented a completely new type of rock on Mars. Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4690)
14crescent-moon
Crescent Moon ------------- During its 45th day on Mars, Curiosity photographed Phobos, one of the two Martian moons. Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0045MR0209002000E1_DXXX&s=45)
15rocknest
Rocknest -------- In October, Curiosity finally found a good Mars sandbox to play in. Here's a shot of the site, called "Rocknest." Image: [](http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/685361main_pia16149-full_full.jpg)[NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16204.html).
16alien-landscape
Alien Landscape --------------- Snapped during the Rover's 120th Martian day, this crazy-looking rock outcrop — informally named "Shaler" — is near Glenelg, where three types of terrain meet. The image spans 3 feet in the foreground. Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4937)
