Science

Following the lighter side of life on Mars with @SarcasticRover on Twitter

KNKX Public Radio | By Jake Ellison

Published August 8, 2012 at 11:19 AM PDT

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This image comparison shows a view through a Hazard-Avoidance camera on NASA's Curiosity before and after the clear dust cover was removed. Mount Sharp, the mission's ultimate destination, looms ahead.

NASA

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This Picasso-like self portrait of NASA's Curiosity rover was taken by its Navigation cameras, located on the now-upright mast. The camera snapped pictures 360-degrees around the rover, while pointing down at the rover deck, up and straight ahead.

NASA

The Mars rover Curiosity has landed ... on Mars! And it's having a pretty lonely but humorous time of it, according to the rover's mock Twitter feed.

SarcasticRover: "HEY EVERYONE! Hope you kids have fun writing shitty memes on my HI-RES PICS! After all, THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR!"

The real Mars rover Curiosity is sending back photos and video and today continues testing out its systems, according to NASA:

"Curiosity is healthy as it continues to familiarize itself with its new home in Gale Crater and check out its systems. The team's plans for Curiosity checkout today included raising the rover's mast and continued testing of its high-gain antenna," a NASA blogger wrote.

Online Resources:

Why reinvent the wheel? PCWorld has put together a complete guide to tagging along with Mars Rover Curiosity online.

Here’s the magazine’s intro:

NASA’s Curiosity rover is rolling on Mars and sending back color photos, videos and other information about the red planet, and it’s easier than ever to keep up with all of the latest Mars rover news online. You can follow Curiosity’s adventures on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. If you prefer video, there’s Ustream and YouTube. Traditionalists can get their news the old-fashioned way by checking in with a website, and there’s even a mobile app to keep you posted while you’re on vacation this summer