Gallery: Mars Art: Rarely Seen Gems From Curiosity Rover's Raw Image Collection
01pyramid-rock
Can robots make art? Though ultimately a problem for philosophers and machine-learning specialists, we can answer this question using NASA's Curiosity rover with a resounding "Yes." Since landing on the Red Planet a year ago, our silicon-based envoy has been exploring, experimenting, and, for the most part, photographing Mars. It has produced pictures at an incredible rate, often nearly 1,000 per day, and its [raw image gallery](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/) is currently overflowing with more than 71,000 photos. Curiosity is armed with [an impressive array of cameras](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/08/curiosity-mars-rover-cameras/) and the continual snaps it sends back to mission control help scientists and engineers decide where the rover should go next and what rocks to prod. But for the rest of us watching the mission closely, the pictures provide a portal that goes straight to Mars. Both [NASA engineers](http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-205) and [amateur image processing geeks](http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?s=aa9abdc7b5e88273557b9fd1fb6e1f65&showforum=59) have sewn together many of these individual photos into [amazing mosaics and panoramas](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/08/high-res-curiosity-panorama/), further allowing us to immerse ourselves in the Martian landscape. We scoured the rover's raw image collection for some of the best examples of Martian art made by a robot. They show lovely formations, spectacular vistas, and often random bits that the engineers probably didn't intend to capture. Most are beautiful only by accident. But that doesn't take away from their value. Because in the end, it's we who provide the Curiosity mission with its meaning and its splendor. __Above:__ Pyramid Rock ------------ The black pyramidal rock in this image was nicknamed "Jake Matijevic" by the Curiosity team. After shooting it with lasers and X-rays, the rover determined that it was [a type of rock never before seen](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/10/curiosity-strange-matijevic/) on Mars. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=NLA_401316692EDR_F0042002NCAM00429M_&s=43)*
02mars-landscape
Mars Landscape -------------- We think of the Red Planet as red but Curiosity shows that the Martian surface can come in a wide variety of chocolate browns, ruddy pinks, dusty yellows, and even greenish tinges. Here, the rover looks over a small rise towards the foothills of Mount Sharp. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0271MR1193027000E1_DXXX&s=271)*
03curving-rock
Curving Rock ------------ Curiosity inspects a nice rock formation just outside Yellowknife Bay. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0305MR1262011000E1_DXXX&s=305)*
04shattered-plain
Shattered Plain --------------- Curiosity channels its inner Ansel Adams during its most northern sojourn in Yellowknife Bay. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=NLA_409037084EDR_F0051662NCAM05703M_&s=130)*
05texture
Texture ------- The rover's right Mastcam captures an interestingly textured rock. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0164MR0883007000E1_DXXX&s=164)*
06dusty-valve
Dusty Valve ----------- Wires coil around Curiosity's intake valve, which allows it to bring samples of the Martian soil to its inner laboratory instruments for analysis. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0282ML1207000000E1_DXXX&s=282)*
07drill-and-lasers
Drill and Lasers ---------------- A line of small holes represent laser shots running up the right side of this image while a larger borehole from Curiosity's drill occupies the lower left. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0283MH0272000005R0_DXXX&s=283)*
08turrent
Turret ------ The rover keeps a number of instruments on the "hand" of its long arm, seen here. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0229ML1062000000E1_DXXX&s=229)*
09rock-row
Rock Row -------- Looking like a small fence, a row of rocks lines up on the Martian ground. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0137MR0817053000E1_DXXX&s=137)*
10filter
Filter ------ The intake filter leading to Curiosity's interior laboratory, which sifts out only the finest dust grains. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0282MH0236010000C0_DXXX&s=282)*
11foreground
Foreground ---------- The rover looks out over a wide plain to the rim of Gale crater behind it. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0194ML1022007000E1_DXXX&s=194)*
12fish-eye
Fish Eye -------- A rounded black-and-white shot looking towards Mount Sharp, showing rocks and tracks in the foreground. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=FLB_425538972EDR_F0060704FHAZ00327M_&s=316)*
13saying-hi
Saying Hi --------- On its 85th day on Mars, Curiosity tilted its handheld camera upside down and backwards and snapped a funny-looking selfie. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0085MH0245000002C0_DXXX&s=85)*
14color-vista
Color Vista ----------- A beautiful view of the foothills of Mount Sharp. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0343MR1388000000E1_DXXX&s=343)*
15rock-close-up
Rock Close-Up ------------- Curiosity's handheld MAHLI camera took very high magnification shots of this rock. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0304MH0296001000C0_DXXX&s=304)*
16rock-collection
Rock Collection --------------- Mars is mostly covered in rocks. This small collection is indicative of most of the planet. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0311MR1279030000E1_DXXX&s=311)*
17brushes
Brushes ------- Two small brushes help clear the drilling residue from Curiosity's boreholes. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0291MR1232000000E1_DXXX&s=291)*
18shadow-heart
Shadow Heart ------------ Light and shadow line up on the Martian regolith. A chance alignment looks sort of like a pink heart. *Image: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS](http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=0129MH0243000010C0_DXXX&s=129)*
