Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2025 March 22 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. SuperCam Target on Ma'az Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/LANL/CNES/CNRS Explanation: What's the sound of [3]one laser zapping? There's no need to consult a Zen master to find out, just listen to the first [4]acoustic recording of laser shots on Mars. On [5]Mars Rover Perseverance mission sol 12 (March 2, 2021) the SuperCam instrument atop the rover's mast zapped a rock dubbed Ma'az 30 times from a range of about 3.1 meters. [6]Its microphone recorded the soft staccato popping sounds of the rapid series of SuperCam laser zaps. Shockwaves created in the thin Martian atmosphere as bits of rock are vaporized by the laser shots make the popping sounds, sounds that offer clues to the physical structure of the target. [7]This SuperCam close-up of the Ma'az target region is 6 centimeters (2.3 inches) across. Ma'az means Mars in [8]the Navajo language. IFRAME: [9]https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tr acks/1004116528%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-Da5U96EOyre&color=%23ff55 Tomorrow's picture: once upon a beach __________________________________________________________________ [10]< | [11]Archive | [12]Submissions | [13]Index | [14]Search | [15]Calendar | [16]RSS | [17]Education | [18]About APOD | [19]Discuss | [20]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [21]Robert Nemiroff ([22]MTU) & [23]Jerry Bonnell ([24]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [25]Specific rights apply. [26]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [27]ASD at [28]NASA / [29]GSFC, [30]NASA Science Activation & [31]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2503/pia24493-2-1041.jpg 3. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/perseverance-rover-s-supercam-science-instrument-delivers-first-results 4. https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/25715/first-acoustic-recording-of-laser-shots-on-mars/ 5. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/ 6. https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/rover/microphones/#SuperCam-Microphone 7. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24493 8. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-s-perseverance-mars-rover-mission-honors-navajo-language 9. https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1004116528?secret_token=s-Da5U96EOyre&color=#ff55 10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250321.html 11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 14. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 19. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250322 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250323.html 21. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 22. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 24. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 26. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 27. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 28. https://www.nasa.gov/ 29. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 30. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 31. http://www.mtu.edu/