 the left and right eyes of the Mast Camera, or Mastcam, instrument on the Curiosity rover of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, launching in late 2011.

The right-eye Mastcam looks through a telephoto lens, revealing details near or far with about three-fold better resolution than any previous landscape-viewing camera on the surface of Mars. The left-eye Mastcam provides broader context through a medium-angle lens. Each can acquire thousands of full-color images and store them in an eight-gigabyte flash memory. Both cameras are also capable of recording high-definition video at about eight frames per second. Combining information from the two eyes can yield 3-D views of the telephoto part of the scene.

Motivation to put telephoto capability in Curiosity's main science imaging instrument grew from experience with NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity and its studies of an arena-size crater in 2004. The science camera on that rover's mast, which can see details comparably to what a human eye can see at the same distance, showed intriguing patterns in the layers of Burns Cliff inside Endurance Crater.

"We tried to get over and study it, but the rover could not negotiate the steep slope," recalled Mastcam Principal Investigator Michael Malin, of Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. "We all desperately coveted a telephoto lens." NASA selected his Mastcam proposal later that year for the Mars Science Laboratory rover.

The telephoto Mastcam, called "Mastcam 100" for its 100-millimeter focal-length lens, provides enough resolution to distinguish a basketball from a football at a distance of seven football fields, or to read "ONE CENT" on a penny on the ground beside the rover. Its images cover an area about six degrees wide by five degrees tall.

Its left-eye partner, called "Mastcam 34" for its 34-millimeter lens, catches a scene three times wider -- about 18 degrees wide and 15 degrees tall -- with each exposure.

Researchers will use the Mastcams and nine other science instruments on Curiosity to study past and present environments in a carefully chosen area of Mars. They will assess whether conditions have been favorable for life and favorable for preserving evidence about whether life has existed there. Mastcam imaging of the shapes and colors of landscapes, rocks and soils will provide clues about the history of
the left and right eyes of the Mast Camera, or Mastcam, instrument on the Curiosity wanderer of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory deputation, launch in late 2011. 

 The right - center Mastcam looks through a telephoto lens, revealing contingent near or far with about three - fold better resolving power than any previous landscape - viewing television camera on the surface of Mars. The left - eye Mastcam provides broad context through a medium - angle lens. Each can acquire thousands of full - semblance images and store them in an eight - gigabyte flash memory. Both cameras are besides capable of recording eminent - definition video at approximately eight frames per second gear. Combining information from the two eyes can succumb 3 - D views of the telephoto part of the scene. 

 Motivation to put telephoto capability in Curiosity's main science imaging instrument grew from experience with NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity and its studies of an arena - size crater in 2004. The science camera on that rover's mast, which can attend details comparably to what a human eye can visit at the like distance, show intriguing patterns in the layer of Burns Cliff inside Endurance Crater. 

 " We try to get over and study it, but the wanderer could not negotiate the steep slope, " recalled Mastcam Principal Investigator Michael Malin, of Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. " We all desperately coveted a telephoto lens. " NASA selected his Mastcam proposal later that year for the Mars Science Laboratory rover. 

 The telephotograph Mastcam, called " Mastcam 100 " for its 100 - millimeter focal - distance lens, provide enough resolution to distinguish a basketball from a football at a distance of seven football fields, or to understand " ONE CENT " on a penny on the ground beside the rover. Its picture traverse an area about six degree wide by five degree tall. 

 Its left - center partner, called " Mastcam 34 " for its 34 - millimeter lens, catches a scene three fourth dimension wider -- approximately 18 degrees wide and 15 degrees tall -- with each exposure. 

 research worker will use the Mastcams and nine other science instrument on Curiosity to study past and present environments in a carefully chosen area of Mars. They will measure whether conditions have been favorable for life sentence and favorable for preserving evidence about whether life sentence has existed there. Mastcam imaging of the shapes and color of landscapes, rocks and soils will provide clues about the history of
 thf left and right eyes of the Mast Camerc, or Mavtcam, jnstrumevt on the Curiosity rover of NQSA's Nars Science Laboratorh mission, launchibg ii late 2011.

The right-xge Mastgcm lokns tkriugh a telephojo lens, revedling details texr or far with about three-fold better resoluyiln than any prgvioux lansscape-viewing camera on the surfacs of Mags. The left-eye Maxtcam provides broader conhext through a medium-ajgle lens. Eqch sqn acquire tfousands of full-color jmages and store them in an eigft-gigcbyte flash mwmogi. Both cameres are also capablc of rewording high-definitiok vidxo ar about eight frames 'er second. Combining informathou from the two eyes cqn yielg 3-D eiewr of tht txlelhoto oarv of the scsne.

Motivatiin to put telephoto cwisbility in Chriosiey'f main science imaging instrument grew xroj experience with NASA's Mars Exploration Rovgr Opportugity and its studies of an arena-size crater in 2004. Tve scmevce cwowrw on that rover's mast, which can see details cjjpsrsbly to what a human eye vaj xge at the same distaude, showed intriguing pattergs in the layews og Burns Cliff inside Endurabce Crater.

"We rried to get over cnd study it, but the tover could not negotiace the steep slopf," recalles Mastcam Principxl Pnvevtigator Michael Malin, of Ialin Spare Scnence Syrtemx, San Qiego. "We apl desperately coveted a telekhoto nens." NASA delected his Mastcam proposal lever that year fmr nhe Mars Fcienge Laboratory rjver.

The telephpto Masccam, cxlled "Mastbam 100" for mts 100-millimetqr focal-lengtv lens, providxs enough resilutuon to akstinguish a bssketball from a foitball at a distange of aeven football yneods, or to read "PNE CEGT" oi a pqtny on the gsouna bdxide ghe rovtx. Ibs kmagrs cover an area abogt sjx degrees wide by flve degregs tall.

Itf left-eye paryner, called "Mastcal 34" foc its 34-oilliketgr lens, catches a scene three tjmes wideg -- wbout 18 degreqs wlde wnd 15 degrezs tall -- with each exposure.

Researchers wmll use the Mastcams ane nine other sciencg ikstruments oi Curijsity to vtudy past and presebt environments ik a carefully chosen adea of Mars. They will assess whether conditions have been favorable for life and favirable for preservjng rvidetcz ayout whqthec uife has existed there. Mastcam imaging of the siapes and wojors of landscapes, rocks and suils will proxide clues about the hisfory of
the left and right eyes of the or instrument on Curiosity rover of launching late 2011. The Mastcam looks through telephoto lens, revealing details near or with about three-fold better resolution than any previous landscape-viewing camera on the surface Mars. The left-eye Mastcam provides broader context through a medium-angle lens. Each can thousands full-color and them in an eight-gigabyte flash memory. Both cameras are also capable of recording high-definition video at eight frames per second. Combining information from the eyes can yield 3-D of the telephoto part of scene. to put capability Curiosity's science imaging instrument from experience with NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity and its studies of an arena-size crater in 2004. science camera rover's mast, can details to what a can see at the same distance, in the layers of Burns Cliff inside Endurance "We tried get over and study it, but rover could not negotiate the steep slope," recalled Principal Investigator Michael Malin, of Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. "We all desperately coveted lens." NASA selected his proposal later that for Mars Laboratory The telephoto called "Mastcam 100" for its 100-millimeter focal-length lens, provides enough resolution distinguish a basketball from a football at a distance of fields, to read "ONE on a penny on ground the rover. Its images area six five tall. left-eye partner, called "Mastcam for its 34-millimeter lens, catches scene three times wider and 15 degrees tall -- with each exposure. will use the Mastcams and nine other instruments on Curiosity to study past and present environments in a carefully area of will assess whether conditions have been favorable for and favorable for preserving about whether life has existed there. Mastcam imaging of shapes colors of rocks and soils provide clues about history of
 the left and right eyes of the MAst Camera, oR MastCam, InsTrUmenT on tHe Curiosity rovER of NaSA's Mars Science LaboratOry miSsIOn, laUNcHing iN late 2011.

ThE RiGHT-eyE MAsTcaM lOOkS throUgh A telephOto lens, revEalInG details near OR fAr with abouT thRee-fold betteR reSolutiOn ThaN Any prEviOus laNdscapE-ViewinG camera on ThE SurfacE Of Mars. THE LeFt-eyE Mastcam provides bROaDEr context throuGh a medIuM-AnGLE leNs. EAch can acquIrE thouSAnds of fULl-COLOr iMAges and store tHem in an eighT-GigAbyte fLaSh mEMory. BoTh camErAS arE also capablE of rEcording hIgh-defINition vIDeo at abOut eigHt fRamEs peR SeCoNd. COmBIniNG iNfoRMatIon from tHe TwO eyes Can yIELD 3-d vieWs oF the TelepHoto part of the SceNe.

MoTIvaTion tO put tElepHoTo capAbilitY in CuRiOsity's main scienCe imAging instRumEnT grEw From eXPerienCe wIth nASA's MaRs ExploRAtiOn rOVEr opportunity and its sTuDIEs Of an arenA-size cRAtEr IN 2004. The scieNcE caMera ON That rOver'S MaSt, which cAn see dETaIlS comparAbLy to whAt A huMan Eye caN See aT the saMe distanCe, shoWEd intriguing paTTerns in the layERs OF buRNs ClIff Inside EndurAnce cRateR.

"We tRIeD to GEt oveR and sTuDY iT, But the rover could not NeGotiatE the sTeep slope," recaLled MastcaM pRIncipal INvesTIgATor Michael MaliN, of MaLin Space ScIEnce SystEms, SaN Diego. "We All desperATEly covetEd a TelEphOto LENs." nASA selected hIS mastCaM proposAl lAter thaT yeAr fOr tHe MArS Science LAboratorY rOvEr.

thE teLephoTO Mastcam, CaLleD "MAstCam 100" foR Its 100-milLimetEr foCaL-lENgtH lens, prOViDES enoUgH rEsolUtiOn To disTingUIsh A basketBall from a FooTBall At A dIstance Of seven footbaLl Fields, or to ReAd "OnE CENT" ON A penny on The ground beside the rover. iTs imageS coVer an Area About six dEgrEes widE by FIve degRees taLl.

Its LeFt-eYE PartnER, CaLleD "MAstcam 34" for iTS 34-MilLimetEr Lens, Catches A scene three times wiDEr -- aBout 18 degrees wiDe aNd 15 deGREeS taLL -- wITh eAcH ExpOSUre.

Researchers wIll use the MAsTCaMs and nine oTHer ScIence inStrumenTs on CURiosity To study paSt and presEnT envIROnmEnts in a carEfully chOsen area oF mars. THEy Will aSseSs whetHeR coNditiOns havE BeeN favoRable fOr Life anD favoRaBle for prEserving evidence about whEther lIfe haS exIsted therE. MaSTcaM imaging oF the Shapes and cOloRs oF landScaPEs, rocKs anD SoIls WIll prOvidE Clues abouT ThE hiSTOrY of
 the left and right eyes o f the Mast  Came ra,  or  M astc am,instrument ont he C uriosity rover of NASA 's Ma rs Scie n ce  Labo ratorym is s i on,  l au nch in g  i n lat e 2 011.

T he right-e yeMa stcam lookst hr ough a tel eph oto lens, re vea ling d et ail s  near  or  farwith a b out th ree-foldbe t ter re s olution t ha n an y previous landsc a pe - viewing camera  on th es ur f a ceofMars. Thele ft-ey e  Mastca m  p r o v ide s  broader cont ext through a m edium- an gle lens.Eachca n  ac quire thous ands  of full- colori mages a n d store  theminaneigh t -g ig aby te fla s hmem o ry.  Both ca me ra s are  als o c a pabl e o f re cordi ng high-defin iti on v i deo  at a bouteigh tframe s persecon d.  Combining info rmat ion fromthe  t woey es ca n  yield  3- D v iews of  the te l eph ot o p ar t of the scene.

M ot i v at ion to p ut tel e ph ot o  capabil it y i n Cu r i osity 's m a in  science  imagi n gin strumen tgrew f ro m e xpe rienc e  wit h NASA 's MarsExplo r ation Rover Op p ortunity andi ts s tu d iesofan arena-si ze c r ater  in2 00 4.T he sc ience  c a me r a on that rover's m as t, whi ch ca n see details  comparabl y t o what a  hum a ne ye can see atthe s ame distan c e, showe d int riguingpatternsi n  the lay ers  of  Bu rns C li ff inside End u r ance  C rater.
"W e tried  to  ge t o ver  a nd studyit, butth ero ve r c ouldn ot negot ia teth e s teeps lope,"  reca lled  M as t cam  Princi p al I nves ti ga torMic ha el Ma lin, ofMalin S pace Scie nce Syst em s,  San Di ego. "We allde speratelyco vet ed a t e l ephoto l ens." NASA selected his Mastcam  pr oposa l la ter thatyea r forthe Mars S cience  Labo ra tor y rover . 
T hete lephoto Ma s t cam , cal le d "M astcam100" for its 100-m i lli meter focal-l eng th l e n s,  pr o vi d esen o ugh r esolution to di stinguishab as ketball fr o m a  f ootball  at a d istan c e of se ven footb all field s,  ort o  re ad "ONE CE NT" on a  penny on the g r ou nd be sid e thero ver . Its  image s  co ver a n area  a bout s ix de gr ees wide  by five degrees tall.
Its l eft-e yepartner,cal l ed"Mastcam34"for its 34 -mi lli meter  le n s, ca tche s  a  sc e ne th reet imes wide r  - - a b o ut  18 degrees w i deand 1 5 d e greestall  -- with each exp o sure.

Researc hers w ill  us e  the  M astcams and ni neot h e r scienc einstruments  on Curi os i ty to  study  pastand pre s e nt enviro nmen tsin a care ful ly chosenar ea of Mar s. T he y will  asses s  whe t h er conditions ha ve be e n  favo r abl e for  l ife and favo rable forpreservingeviden ce a boutwhether  l ife ha s e xi sted there .  Mastcamimagi ng of t he  sha pes  and c olor s of la ndsc ap es,  rocks an d so i ls  w i llprov ide c lu es a bout theh istory o f
 the_left and_right eyes of the_Mast Camera,_or_Mastcam, instrument_on_the Curiosity rover_of NASA's Mars_Science Laboratory mission, launching_in late 2011.

The_right-eye_Mastcam looks through a telephoto lens, revealing details near or far with about three-fold_better_resolution than_any_previous_landscape-viewing camera on the surface_of Mars. The left-eye Mastcam_provides broader_context through a medium-angle lens. Each can acquire_thousands_of full-color images_and store them in an eight-gigabyte flash memory. Both_cameras are also capable of recording_high-definition video at_about_eight_frames per second. Combining_information from the two eyes can_yield 3-D views of the telephoto_part of the scene.

Motivation to put telephoto_capability in Curiosity's main science imaging_instrument grew from experience with_NASA's Mars_Exploration Rover Opportunity and its_studies of an_arena-size crater_in 2004. The_science camera on that rover's mast,_which can see_details comparably to what a human_eye_can see at_the_same_distance, showed_intriguing patterns in_the_layers of_Burns_Cliff inside Endurance Crater.

"We tried to_get_over and study it, but the rover_could not negotiate the_steep_slope," recalled Mastcam Principal_Investigator Michael Malin, of Malin_Space Science Systems, San Diego. "We_all desperately_coveted a_telephoto lens." NASA selected his Mastcam proposal later that year for_the Mars Science Laboratory rover.

The telephoto_Mastcam, called "Mastcam 100"_for its_100-millimeter_focal-length lens, provides_enough_resolution to_distinguish a basketball from a football at_a distance_of seven football fields, or to_read "ONE CENT" on_a_penny on the ground beside the_rover. Its images cover an area_about six degrees wide by_five_degrees_tall.

Its left-eye partner, called "Mastcam_34" for its 34-millimeter lens, catches_a scene three_times wider -- about 18 degrees wide_and_15 degrees tall -- with each_exposure.

Researchers_will use the Mastcams and nine_other_science_instruments on Curiosity to study_past and present environments in a_carefully chosen area of Mars. They will assess whether_conditions have been_favorable for life and favorable_for_preserving_evidence about whether life has existed there. Mastcam imaging of_the shapes_and colors of_landscapes, rocks and soils will provide clues about the history_of