{{Short description|North end of Endeavour crater on Mars}} [[File:PIA21490capes.jpg|thumb|Annotated map with location of Solander Point, on Endeavour crater's western rim]] '''Solander Point''' is at the north end of the west-southwestern ridgeline of [[Endeavour (crater)|Endeavour crater]] on the planet [[Mars]]. It is named after the [[Sweden|Swedish]] scientist [[Daniel Solander]], who was the first university-educated scientist to set foot on Australian soil at [[Botany Bay]] in 1770.
Solander Point was visited in 2013 by the [[Mars Exploration Rover]]-B ''[[Opportunity rover|Opportunity]]'', a robotic [[rover (space exploration)|rover]] that was active on Mars from 2004-2018. <ref>[http://spaceref.com/mars/mars-rover-opportunity-approaches-solander-point.html Mars Rover Opportunity Approaches Solander Point By Keith Cowing]</ref>
By early July 2013 ''Opportunity'' was approaching it from the North, after previously examining outcrops on the northwest edge of the crater, north of Solander.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3351 |title=NASA - Sol 3351 |access-date=2013-07-15 |archive-date=2014-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620024319/http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3351 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The rover drove south from ''Cape York'' through ''Botany Bay'' to travel to Solander.<ref name=half>[http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-212 Mars Rover Opportunity Passes Half-Way Point to Next Destination]</ref> By July 2, 2013, it was about half-way there.<ref name=half/> The area was imaged from Martian orbit by [[HiRISE]] on July 8, 2013, data which aids the rover team in understanding the terrain and planning rover traverses.<ref>[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/news/mro20130717.html Overhead View of Mars Rover 10 Years After Launch - NASA]</ref> The rover made good time on its approach to Solander, giving ''Opportunity'' time to investigate a curious area of terrain in the crater.<ref>[http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs/2013/crumpler-sol3363.html The Planetary Society: L. Crumpler - Field Report From Mars: Sol 3363 - July 10, 2013]</ref><ref>[http://nmnaturalhistory.org/sol-3363-july-10-2013.html Field Notes from Mars: Sol 3363 - July 10, 2013] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023013153/http://nmnaturalhistory.org/sol-3363-july-10-2013.html |date=October 23, 2013 }}</ref> At the start of August, the rover was less than 100 meters (328 ft) from Solander,<ref>[http://nmnaturalhistory.org/sol-3385-august-2-2013.html August 2, 2013 NNM] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021060458/http://nmnaturalhistory.org/sol-3385-august-2-2013.html |date=October 21, 2013 }} [http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs/2013/crumpler-sol3385.html August 2, 2013 TPS]</ref> and arrived at its base in the following days.<ref name=sol3391>{{Cite web |url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3391 |title=NASA - Sol 33591 |access-date=2013-08-13 |archive-date=2014-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620024319/http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol3391 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Its arrival signaled the availability of a northward facing slope, useful for angling to collect more sunlight during the Martian winter.<ref name=sol3391/> In October and November 2013, the rover climbed up the north end of Solander.<ref name=nasauphill/> By December 2013, the rover reached the top of Solander point hill as the 10 year anniversary of its landing on Mars neared.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.universetoday.com/107684/opportunity-rover-starts-2nd-decade-by-spectacular-mountain-summit-and-mineral-goldmine/|title=Opportunity Rover Starts 2nd Decade by Spectacular Mountain Summit and Mineral Goldmine - Universe Today|date=2014-01-19|work=Universe Today|access-date=2018-02-09|language=en-US}}</ref> After Solander point ''Opportunity'' moved along Murray Ridge, and then south to Cape Tribulation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/press/opportunity/20140123a.html|title=Mars Exploration Rover|last=mars.nasa.gov|website=mars.nasa.gov|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref>
Between Solander Point and, to north of it Cape York, both of which are raised up, is a lower area that is noted to be a part of the Burns Formation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=3875|title=Mars Rover Opportunity Working at Edge of 'Solander'|website=NASA/JPL|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref> The Burns Formation extends all the way back to ''Opportunity''{{'}}s landing site by [[Eagle (Meridiani Planum crater)|Eagle crater]], and it was heavily studied prior to this time by the rover.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=3875|title=Mars Rover Opportunity Working at Edge of 'Solander'|website=NASA/JPL|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref> The Burns Formation is "high in [[sulfate]] bearing minerals" according to NASA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=3875|title=Mars Rover Opportunity Working at Edge of 'Solander'|website=NASA/JPL|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref> Solander Point lies at the geological contact line between the Burns Formation, and what is thought to be an even older geological region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=3875|title=Mars Rover Opportunity Working at Edge of 'Solander'|website=NASA/JPL|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref>
==Solander point== [[File:MERB Sol3492 1.jpg|thumb|400px|left|Solander Point with MER-B rover track November 2013]] {{clear}} [[File:PIA17586.jpg|thumb|400px|left|Looking south on Solander Point with the crater floor to the left]] {{Clear}} ==Map showing journey of MER-B near Solander Point== [[File:MERB Sol3348 1.jpg|thumb|400px|left|MER-B's arrival and subsequent path around Cape York, and finally its departure as it headed south into Botany Bay towards Solander Point]] [[File:PIA17076 fig1-SolanderPoint.tif|400px|left|thumb|A different view of its path towards Solander]] [[File:MERB Sol3555 1.jpg|thumb|400px|left|MER-B's path to Solander Point, and then down along Murray Ridge. (Up to February 2014)]] {{Clear}}
==Geological regions around Solander== [[File:PIA13708westernrimgeo.jpg|thumb|400px|left|Solander Point is a location on the Western Rim of Endeavour crater, shown here in this geological map produced with data from MRO's CRISM instrument]] {{Clear}}
==Rover views of Solander==
<gallery mode=packed heights="200px" style="text-align:left"> File:PIA14506 Opportunity's View Approaching Rim of Endeavour.jpg|Looking south along the Western rim of Endeavour crater, Solander Point is the start of the ridge on the right File:PIA17078 - Opportunity's view of 'Solander Point'.jpg|Solander Point from the north </gallery> {{clear}} {{Wide image|Pia17366 sol-3463-navcam 1.jpg|780px|This is a southward uphill view as the rover ascended the mountain in October 2013. It is assembled from NavCam images.<ref name=nasauphill>[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20131023.html#.UnvTyvKmxhk NASA -Mars Rover ''Opportunity'' Heads Uphill]</ref>}}
==See also== *[[Cape York (Mars)]] *[[Endeavour crater]] *[[Opportunity mission timeline|''Opportunity'' mission timeline]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/multimedia/pia16931.html ''Opportunity'' Heads Toward Next Destination, 'Solander Point' - NASA] *[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20130607.html Mars Rover ''Opportunity'' Trekking Toward More Layers - NASA] (June 7, 2013) *[http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-194#1 Gallery] *[http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17278 View From Orbit Showing ''Opportunity'' in 'Botany Bay'] (view includes Solander Point) *[http://hrscview.fu-berlin.de/cgi-bin/ion-p?ION__E1=UPDATE%3Aion%3A%2F%2Fhrscview2.ion&ION__E2=control%3Aion%3A%2F%2Fhrscview2.ion&image=2064_0000&image1=4+images&pos=2.309S%2C+354.702E&scale=50&viewport=900x900&basemap_on=on&basemap=MOLAelevation&hrsc_on=on&mode=height&pansharpen=on&src_on=on&persp=on&pview=East&exag=1&control.x=95&control.y=11&image0=2064_0000&code=40043803 HRSC - Western ridge of Endeavour] *[http://roadtoendeavour.wordpress.com/2013/07/19/oi-oppy-stop-wandering-off-and-get-back-here/ The Road To Endeavour - July 19, 2013] *[http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs/2013/crumpler-sol3378.html The Planetary Society - Field Report From Mars: Sol 3378 - July 25, 2013] *[http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/754154main_Arvidson-1_pia17076_full.jpg Westward view] *[http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/space-images/mars/opportunity-approaches-solander-point-animation.html Animation at The Planetary Society] *[http://www.universetoday.com/105717/nasas-resilient-opportunity-rover-starts-martian-mountaineering/ K. Kremer - "NASA’s Resilient Opportunity Rover Starts Martian Mountaineering" - ''Universe Today''] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20140318062840/http://marsrover.nasa.gov/mission/tm-opportunity/opportunity-sol3600.html Traverse map on Sol 3600](March 14, 2014) *[http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/multimedia/pia17271.html#.V_fmhxKeZ_4 A view of Solander Point from Botany Bay]
{{Features visited by Opportunity}}
[[Category:Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle]] [[Category:Mars Exploration Rover mission]]