page_title: MarsDial
hierarchical_section_title: MarsDial
caption_attribution_description: English: A true-color image of the MarsDial taken by the Spirit rover. Created using images taken in filters L2, L3, L4, L5, L6 &amp; L7. Images were interpolated into the XYZ colorspace using a spline interpolation of order 3 and then transformed into the sBGR colorspace.
context_page_description: The MarsDial is a sundial that was devised for missions to Mars. It is used to calibrate the Pancam cameras of the Mars landers. MarsDials were placed on the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers, inscribed with the words "Two worlds, One sun" and the word "Mars" in 22 languages. The MarsDial can function as a type of sun-dial known as a gnomon, in modern times this is the stick part of a sundial. A gnomon type sundial is basically a "stick in the ground" design, but by looking at the length and direction of the shadow the time of day can be calculated. The sundial can also be used to tell which way is North, and to overcome the limitations of a magnetic north different from a true north.
  The sundial design team included Bill Nye "The Science Guy," space artist Jon Lomberg, and astronomers Woodruff Sullivan, Steve Squyres, James Bell and Tyler Nordgren. CAD design and drawings were done by Jason Suchman. The MarsDial was intended to be part science outreach, part calibration target.
  Curiosity, the rover which landed on Mars in August 2012, used a spare sundial remaining from the Mars Exploration Rovers. It has a new text that reads "Mars 2012" and "To Mars To Explore".
context_section_description: The MarsDial is a sundial that was devised for missions to Mars. It is used to calibrate the Pancam cameras of the Mars landers. MarsDials were placed on the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers, inscribed with the words "Two worlds, One sun" and the word "Mars" in 22 languages. The MarsDial can function as a type of sun-dial known as a gnomon, in modern times this is the stick part of a sundial.  A gnomon type sundial is basically a "stick in the ground" design, but by looking at the length and direction of the shadow the time of day can be calculated. The sundial can also be used to tell which way is North, and to overcome the limitations of a magnetic north different from a true north.
  The sundial design team  included Bill Nye "The Science Guy," space artist Jon Lomberg, and astronomers Woodruff Sullivan, Steve Squyres, James Bell and Tyler Nordgren.  CAD design and drawings were done by Jason Suchman.  The MarsDial was intended to be part science outreach, part calibration target.
  Curiosity (MSL), the rover which landed on Mars in August 2012, used a spare sundial remaining from the Mars Exploration Rovers. It has a new text that reads "Mars 2012" and "To Mars To Explore".
  The ball is the nodus, the post is the gnomon. The colors on the corners are for calibrating colors, and the inner circles are in greyscale. There is a mirrored section on the middle circle to reflect the sky.
  The sundials are also "message artifacts"—something for future human explorers to find.
caption: MarsDial on Spirit rover on Mars
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