NASA has made a historic discovery. In one of his recent investigations on Mars he has discovered a mysterious shiny rock, which does not look like any other rock found on the planet.
It has been discovered by rover Perseverance at a place called Mount Washburn in Jezero Crater, and this find could provide interesting clues about the ancient geological processes that shaped the surface of the red planet.
Apparently it is a white rock in a sea of black stones, which is quite a geological find. Brad Garczynski of Western Washington University in Bellingham and co-chair of the scientific campaign, said in a statement: “The diversity of textures and compositions at Mount Washburn was an exciting discovery for the team because these rocks represent a collection of geological samples brought back from the crater rim and perhaps beyond. However, among these various rocks, one really caught our attention.”
The shiny rock, called Atoko Point after a similar site in the Grand Canyon, measures 45cm wide and 35cm high. Furthermore, according to the analysis carried out by Perseverance’s SuperCam and Mastcam-Z instruments, the rock would be composed of the minerals pyroxene and feldspar.
“In terms of the size, shape and arrangement of mineral grains and crystals, and potentially also the chemical composition, Atoko Point is unique,” NASA says in its statement.
“Regardless of its origin, the team believes that Atoko is the first discovery of this type, but certainly not the last,” they highlight and are now seeking to find out its origin, although the main hypothesis is that it was generated in the planet’s magma. and was expelled from the crater to be carried away by the rivers.
