Spirit Rover Reaches the Columbia Hills on Mars
			
		
		
		
			The Spirit robotic rover on 
Mars 
has now reached the 
Columbia Hills on Mars.
Two of the hills are shown on approach near the beginning of June.  
The above true-color picture shows very nearly what a 
human would see from Spirit's vantage point.  
The red color of the 
rocks, 
hills, and even the 
sky 
is caused by pervasive rusting sand.  
Spirit has now 
traveled over 3 kilometers since it 
bounced down onto the red planet in January.  
The robotic explorer, 
controlled and programmed remotely from Earth, 
is now investigating a rock called 
Pot of Gold.  
On the other side of Mars, Spirit's twin 
Opportunity 
is now inspecting unusual rocks inside a pit dubbed 
Endurance crater.