In a Martian wasteland millions of kilometers away from Earth, a mysterious image resembling a medieval helmet caught the eye of NASA’s Perseverance rover on August 5th. This discovery, named “Horneflya,” sparked curiosity among experts and the public regarding its origin and formation.
The peculiar rock, Horneflya, has a distinct shape with a sharp tip and edges expanding outward like the brim of a hat, covered in dense granules, reminiscent of a witch’s hat, tent, or ancient helmet. According to Space.com, similar formations on Earth may be formed through chemical weathering, mineral deposition, or volcanic activity.
David Agle, spokesperson for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Perseverance team, stated in an interview with the media that the uniqueness of this cap-shaped rock lies not in its appearance – as such shapes are common in wind-eroded floating rocks – but in the fact that it is almost entirely composed of granules.
In March of this year, Perseverance also captured an image of another granule-covered rock. Scientists speculate that some of Mars’ granule rocks may have formed as ancient groundwater passed through sedimentary rock pores, but it is not certain if all granules were created by the same process. The discovery of these granule-covered rocks may help reveal Mars’ environmental history, showing how wind, water, and geological activities shaped the planet’s surface over billions of years.
The photo of Horneflya was captured by the Mastcam-Z camera system on the left side of the Perseverance rover. This system consists of two variable-focus cameras that can take color and stereoscopic panoramic images, aiding scientists in identifying terrain features from a distance. The image also earned the title of the “Photo of the Week” for the 234th week of the Perseverance mission.
The core mission of the Perseverance rover is to search for signs of ancient microbial life in the Jezero Crater and study Mars’ “wet history.” NASA stated in their mission introduction that, “It is possible that microbial life might have existed in one or more wet periods in Jezero. If so, their remains might be preserved in lakebed or shoreline sediments.”
Since landing on Mars in 2021, Perseverance has conducted numerous geological surveys and sample collections. In December 2024, it successfully climbed “Lookout Hill” on the northern edge of the crater and is currently conducting scientific exploration in the rim area.
NASA emphasizes that these research findings will lay the groundwork for future human missions to Mars. As part of the Artemis Program, NASA plans to first send astronauts back to the moon to establish a lunar outpost before advancing to crewed Mars missions. SpaceX founder Elon Musk aims to launch unmanned spacecraft to Mars as early as 2028.
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