Curiosity's first photos of Mars are already captivating scientists as well as the public. The scenery is alien and familiar at the same time -- Gale crater, where the rover landed, bears a clear resemblance to Death Valley.
But the images that can make this surreal fact -- that we managed to land 1 ton of roving scientific equipment on Mars -- seem more real are the ones that include glimpses of Curiosity.
Some of these photos are intentional self-portraits that give the rover's Earth-bound caretakers a look at how some of its instruments, equipment and moving parts held up through the eight-month journey through space and crazy landing on the planet's surface. Others are scenes of Curiosity's surroundings that happened to catch a bit of the rover, like your thumb in the corner of a vacation snapshot.
Somehow these images change a faraway mission into a real, tangible experience. Here are some of our favorite self-portraits that will make you feel like you're standing next to Curiosity, awaiting the signal to start the trek to Mt. Sharp.
Courtesy of Wired Science
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