Color Images From NASA's Raw Data

Various color images of landscapes and features

    I have assembled many images in the course of this work and have gotten the methods worked out to a fine art.  Even with the wrong or less than perfect filter choices, there are ways to balance the color and saturation so that you can get some amazingly good pictures.  In some cases, NASA has not released the proper filter data for color images, but I can often synthesize a "close enough" frame through proprietary methods.  Those images are noted.

    While these are not all perfect, I have done what I can to make them match as closely as possible the colors as they are most likely indicated by the calibration standards (when they shoot them) and from experience with the real world.  Mars is more or less like most deserts on Earth in terms of color, except for those trillions of blueberries.

    Many of these images show geysers or springs.  The springs are apparently cyclic in nature, erupting water during specific times.  In most cases, water will not stand for long on the Martian surface, but soil can remain wet for many sols.  This means that microbes and small organisms might find niches for their survival even today.

    Because of the huge number of images, this page became slow very rapidly.  I have broken this page into a set of individual thumbnails to speed things up for those with dial up connections.  Also be sure to check Keith Laney's site with an ever expanding library of color images.  I got most of my technique for color image assembly from the notes on his page and a few experiments to get it right.  Thanks again, Keith!

Opportunity color images - more to be added as I process them

Sol 010 thumbnails

Sol 013 thumbnails

Sol 014 thumbnails    "Stone Mountain" and area (color stereo)

Sol 015 thumbnails

Sol 020 thumbnails

Sol 029 thumbnails    an odd fossil in the soil, excellent color stereo views

Sol 045 thumbnails   

Sol 051 thumbnails   

Sol 068 thumbnails    exclusive full color stereo views of Bounce Rock

Sol 072 thumbnails

Sol 073 thumbnails

Sol 088 thumbnails

Sol 105 thumbnails

Sol 114 thumbnails    images that were withheld for 7 months - geyser fields

Sol 120 thumbnails    UNIQUE - the missing Sol 120 images NASA will not publish - why?

NOTE:  these images were finally published on Dec 7, 2004 - nearly 7 months late.

Sol 128 thumbnails

Sol 150 thumbnails 

Sol 183 thumbnails

Sol 219 thumbnails    includes stereo views and close up views

Sol 237 thumbnails    images proving that the spherules cannot possibly be concretions

Sol 242 thumbnails    

Sol 251 thumbnails

Sol 252 thumbnails    excellent stereo color images and close ups 

Sol 279 thumbnails

Sol 312 thumbnails    excellent stereo color images and close ups

Sol 314 thumbnails

Sol 323 thumbnails    Opportunity rover hardware inspection images

Spirit color images

    I will post those images that best convey the true color of the planet as I process them

Sol 287 thumbnails    NEW