The Curiosity Rover Snapped Its First Picture of Earth and Safely Crossed Into the Dingo Gap

The Curiosity rover is a long way from home, boys and girls, and this shot of what the Earth looks like from where it is on Mars is a reminder of just how far that is. Across the cold, empty reaches of space, the rover has taken a picture of the home of all seven billion humans, and it looks like just a tiny speck.

Curiosity tweeted this picture last night just before it let everyone know that it had crossed into the Dingo Gap safely. Its wheels have been taking a beating up there on the harsh red planet, and NASA decided to take it over a sand dune and into the much smoother and less treacherous Dingo Gap.

Here’s an enhanced view from NASA of what the Earth and the moon look like from Curiosity’s lonely, cold vantage point on Mars:

So, yeah, still just tiny specks. Poor, lonely rover.

Don’t worry, buddy! We want to come visit you some day; I promise. Hang in there for science.

(via Universe Today, images via NASA)

Meanwhile in related links

• We should get NASA to send Curiosity these robot valentines
• Someone sued them for not looking at that Mars rock a little harder
• We’ll need food on our journey to save curiosity, so now we have space peas

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Dan Van Winkle

Dan Van Winkle (he) is an editor and manager who has been working in digital media since 2013, first at now-defunct Geekosystem (RIP), and then at The Mary Sue starting in 2014, specializing in gaming, science, and technology. Outside of his professional experience, he has been active in video game modding and development as a hobby for many years. He lives in North Carolina with Lisa Brown (his wife) and Liz Lemon (their dog), both of whom are the best, and you will regret challenging him at Smash Bros.

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