Finally, FINALLY we have names for some of the features visible on the horizon! 🙂 🙂
A few weeks ago, Oppy took a series of multiple images of the hills, the idea being for the MER team’s image wizards to combine them all into one, high-resolution image with previously-unseen detail. The image they created has now been released, and here it is…
Ooh, I like that! 🙂 That’s very crisp, very clear. You really get an impression of the sides of a crater from that. But wait, there’s more! The JPL team has now started giving (provisional) names to the features visible on Endeavour’s rim, and here’s an annotated version of the super-resolution image…
That’s more like it!omehow, now those distant peaks have names they seem more real, don’t they? This is a basic need in us, to name things, and to only think of places as real once they have names. It makes the journey to them more personal in some way.
So, we now have names for some of the parts of Endeavour’s rim. Here’s another image from NASA showing what’s been named so far…
Let’s have a look at that from a more familiar viewpoint…
NOW the view makes more sense, don’t you think? 🙂
So, what’s the story behind these exotic names?
Features at Endeavour are being named after places/people involved in the story of Captain Cook’s voyage to, and “discovery” of Australia, so all these names relate to that voyage.
“Point Hicks” – the first part of the Australian mainland to be sighted by Cook’s crew (specifically by Lt Zachary Hickes) on April 19th 1770.
“Cape Dromedary” – spotted on April 21st 1770.
“Cape Byron” – the most easterly point of the Australian mainland, encountered by the Endeavour on May 15th 1770.
“Cape Tribulation” – encountered by Endeavour on June 10th, 1770. Cook later wrote “Here began all our troubles…”
Where are these places? Take a look…
(click image to enlarge it)
Today there’s very cool statue at Cape Byron…
… which I reckon wouldn’t look out of place on Mars! 🙂
The Road To Endeavour 
Living in Newcastle, ew South Wales, Australia, I have always been most interested in Captain Cook and his voyages to map and observe in the vast Pacific. He named a small high island here in Newcastle at the mouth of the Hunter River,Nobbys.
You may remember the coal carrier The Pasha Bulker that ran up on Nobbys Beach in a violent storm in June of 2007. I am a radio reporter in Science and Astronomy for radio 2NUR-FM here in Newcastle and would like to talk to you about the voyage of the Endeavour and the fantastic crater on Mars that now bears that famous name. Newcastle is approximately half way between Cape Byron and Cape Dromedary as is Botany Bay,60 miles, 100 kms down south of here. There is a ” Bay ” in the range of hills marking those high points could that be called Botany Bay and some kilometres up towards Byron is a small island hill could that he calledNobbys. I have been to Capes Tribulation and Byron and intend to go to Byron next month. I would appreciate your help regarding thenaming. Regards, Col.