Stunning video shows Curiosity's descent to Mars

August 27, 2012|By Deborah Netburn

<p>You may have seen video of Curiosity's descent before, but you haven't seen it like this -- with the craters on Mars rendered in high definition, the contrast amped up, and the whole thing set to a string score by Kevin Macleod that helps heighten the grandeur, and also the loneliness, of the rover's descent to the red planet.</p><p>(Never underestimate the importance of a soundtrack!)</p><p>Consider it the Mars Curiosity descent post-production video. It's like the <a href="http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/videos/index.cfm?v=81">original</a>, but better.</p><p>The video was put together by Dominic Muller, known on Reddit as Godd2, <a href="http://io9.com/5938006/this-is-hands-down-the-most-breathtaking-version-of-curiositys-descent-weve-seen-yet">reports</a> iO9.</p></div></div><div class="float" style="clear:both;height:1px;line-height:1px;"><img src="/images/pixel.gif" height="1" width="1" alt="" /></div><div id="mod-ctr-lt-in-top" class="mod-latarticlesadcpc mod-adcpc with-fourth-cpc"><script type="text/javascript"> var adSkipCounter = 0; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; var float = ""; google_hints = "choppy video reddit descent";google_ad_client="pub-0227802054925200"; google_ad_output="js"; google_ad_channel="5212128158,6138855783,8321278795,8261105409"; google_ad_type="text"; google_image_size="300x250"; google_safe="high"; google_feedback="on"; google_max_num_ads="2"; google_skip="" + adSkipCounter + ""; google_adtest="off"; google_page_url=document.URL; function google_ad_request_done(ads) { if (ads.length == 0) { return; } // If no ads are returned then dont build the ad block if (ads[0].bidtype == "CPC") { adSkipCounter += ads.length; } // Increment ad skip counter when cpc google_ad_request_done_internal(ads, "", "", "true", "medium_rectangle", "", "", "pgtp=article&pi=34&ci=33429632&cat=arts+%26+entertainment&pe_id=33429632&tv=ap-LA12-G02&rna=pub-0227802054925200&rn=g&rnrci=5212128158&rnrcn=CMI-A-002&rncci=6138855783&rnccn=CMI-A-009&rnpci=&rnpcn=&rntci=&rntcn=&rnlci=8261105409&rnlcn=8261105409&rnp=c&rt=cpc&paidClick=1&placement_id=ctr-lt-in-top", "", "", "", "", "", "ap-LA12-G02", "Los Angeles Times Articles"); } //]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/google_ad_request.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-first-para" class="mod-latarticlesarticletextwithadcpc mod-latarticlesarticletext mod-articletext"><p>On the video's YouTube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJgeoHBQpFQ&feature=plcp">page</a> Muller explains that he used an editing technique called frame interpolation, which allowed him to take the original choppy video released by NASA and smooth it out. He writes that it took him four straight days to put it together.</p><p>You can find a thorough and technical <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/yux4s/i_just_spent_the_last_four_days_straight/c5z2wlw">explanation</a> of how Muller made this video on Reddit.</p><p>Or you can just watch this over and over again and think about how awesome Mars looks. </p><p>As one commenter wrote, "It's weird that we're looking at another world."</p><p><strong>ALSO:</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-tracking-tropical-storm-isaac-with-google-maps-20120827,0,3143617.story">Tracking Isaac with Google's crisis map</a></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-nasa-nexus-one-satellite-20120827,0,7812569.story">NASA to launch Android-powered nanosatellites</a></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-martian-watches-20120825,0,2172017.story">Irvine company seeks funding for first voice-command watch</a></p><p>Follow Deborah Netburn on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/DeborahNetburn">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/109675776633752908527/posts">Google+</a></p></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-first-para-ad-cpc" class="mod-adcpc"> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; 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