Space & Astronomy

NASA rover discovers strange 'zebra rock' on the surface of Mars

By T.K. Randall
September 27, 2024 ·  5 comments

How did this rock come to be here ? Image Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech NASA's Perseverance rover, which landed on the surface of Mars back in 2021, has certainly seen its fair share of unusual things since it began its adventures in Jezero crater.

This latest example, which was spotted as the rover was driving over pebble-strewn ground, has been nicknamed 'Freya Castle' and is believed to measure around 20cm in length.

Particularly odd is the fact that the rock seems to have zebra-like stripes, making it quite unlike any of the other rocks found in this particular region of the planet's surface."Since Freya Castle is a loose stone that is clearly different from the underlying bedrock, it has likely arrived here from someplace else," NASA wrote.

The stripes are thought to have formed through igneous or metamorphic processes.

It is hoped that if Perseverance can find more rocks of this type over the coming weeks and months, it might help shed new light on what they are, how they formed and where they came from.

Source: Mail Online | Comments (5)

Tags: Mars