Determine direction of camera

[Leslie Charles]

Is the information about the direction of one of Curiosity's camera included in the PDS Label information?

 

Could someone explain how to translate the data information so that the bearings of the camera when a picture was taken can be understood according to North-South-East-West on the martian planet?

 

Thanks,

 

Leslie Charles

[Tom Stein]

Hi Leslie -

 

  Yes, there is a way, although it is a little involved. The first thing is to undersatnd the coordinate systems used by the science instruments. There is a great document on this on the Resources tab of the MSL Analyst's Notebook (look for the "coordinate systems" link under the Resources tab (http://an.rsl.wustl.edu/msl/mslbrowser/tab.aspx?t=RE).

 

Second, there is information in the label of each data product that gives the pointing information using a series of values named "MODEL_COMPONENT_1", "MODEL_COMPONENT_2", etc. In conjunction with the ROVER_MOTION_COUNTER values. For any image, you can find these values in the product label (in the Notebook, click on PDS Label from the image's Product drop down menu. Of course, you can download the label file with the image and look at the label in your computer editor.

 

Third, you will want to look at the Softwaer Interfce Specification (SIS), a document that details the information in image label as well as the instrument's operational details. There is a SIS for each instrument, and these can be found by click on View Documents under the same Reource Tab as in step 1, and then selecting the instrument of choice.

 

As you may surmise, this is not a trivial process. Please take a little time to look trhough this information and then ask questions. We can help walk you through the process if needed.

 

Tom

[Leslie Charles]

Tom,

 

I looked at SCLK 399189865 Sol 19

Model_Component_3 = "Horizontal" so I started there

 

x = 461  y = 366  z = 9.84

 

r = (x² + y² + z²)^½  → r = 589 meter?

 

Θ = tan^-1 (z/(x² + y²)^½  → Θ = .0167169 Rad ↔ .958°  ↔ 89° above horizon

 

Φ = tan^-1 y/x  → Φ = 38.4° or 51° East of Due North.

 

I believe SCLK 399189865 is of Mount Sharp which was south of Curiosity on Sol 19, so my calculations don't make much sense.

 

Les

[Leslie Charles]

Tom,

 

I did look at "MSL Coordinate Systems for Science Instruments" that is what my previous post pertained to.  The "View Documents" was of no help as there were numerous documents and I did'nt know where to start.  Is there a specific document that explains all the items in the PDS label?  After re-reading "MSL Coordinate Systems for Science Instruments" the r vector in my previous post doesn't seem correct.  However the computations for Θ and Φ seem appropriate.  Of course I cannot be sure of that until I find out what Model_Component_3 = "Horizontal" x,y,z vector values actually represent.  Any help from anyone most welcomed.

 

Les

[Tom Stein]

Les -

 

  I will contact you offline so we can work through your example.

 

Tom

[ocpaul20]

Would it be possible to have a worked example please?

 

Saying that you will contact Leslie offline does not help others who have come here because they were interested in the topic. I mean, it is not as if it is a secret is it?

 

If the solution is only going to be given to individuals then we may as well use the email contact email address and ask individually - and then you would be flooded with queries. Although you are being helpful to one individual, you are making more work for yourselves in the long run by potentially answering the same query multiple times.

[Tom Stein]

Hi ocpaul20 -

 

  Would you please post an example that you'd like to see worked through?

[jomynn]

About worked example:

Can you share link video or youtube?

[Tom Stein]

Hi jomynn -

Would you please post an example that you'd like to see worked through? A specific image, perhaps?