People around the world are currently tuning in to watch the live stream of the Curiosity Rover landing on Mars today at 3.31pm (AEST). The aim for the landing on Mars is to analyse a range of samples drilled from rocks on the planet. This will determine whether there has been or ever will be microbial life on Mars.

On the Curiosity Rover's Arm is a mounted Mars Hand Lens Imager which will be taking extreme close-up pictures of the rocks, soil and possibly ice, showing details smaller than the width of a human hair. The Imager can also focus on inconspicuous objects that are up to an arm's length away.

[via Gizmodo]

August 6, 2012 by Jane Fayle