shining object?

On the marsrovers website today, there
is a Spirit "look-back" panorama on the home page.

If one views this at full resolution,
and scrolls about 3/4 way to the right
(past the tracks from the rover), there
is visible what appears to be a shining
rod-like object. This portion of the
panorama can also be seen in a
Sol 50 Navcam raw image (fourth
last of the sol 50 navcam images).

The object appears out-of-place with
respect to its surroundings. It does
not lie in the path of the rover tracks,
but perhaps it is some debris from the
landing system, maybe from the heat
shield, which apparently landed on the
rim of Bonneville crater according to the
MGS images.

Paul

In message ,
wrote:

On the marsrovers website today, there
is a Spirit "look-back" panorama on the home page.

If one views this at full resolution,
and scrolls about 3/4 way to the right
(past the tracks from the rover), there
is visible what appears to be a shining
rod-like object. This portion of the
panorama can also be seen in a
Sol 50 Navcam raw image (fourth
last of the sol 50 navcam images).

I assume you mean the object centred L-R and about 3/8 of the way down
this image:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/n/050/2N130812340EFF1000P1901L0M1.JPG?
It also appears in the next image (the other "eye"):
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/all/2/n/050/2N130812340EFF1000P1901R0M1.JPG

In the latter there is a flare of light off the left-hand end which
should give some hint as to the orientation of that part of the
object. It's certainly not in keeping with its surroundings.
--
R.G. "Stumpy" Marsh Timaru, New Zealand
http://marsh.orcon.net.nz/