Using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), equipped on the end of its robotic arm, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has captured a close-up view of a book-like rock- named ‘Terra Firme.’
The appearance of the rock looks like the open pages of a book. The image was taken on April 15, 2023, the mission’s 3,800th Martian day, or Sol.
Mars has unusual shapes of rocks formed by water seeping through cracks in a rock in the ancient past, bringing harder minerals along with them. The softer rock is carved away, leaving only the harder materials after being sandblasted by the wind for ages.