Red planet turns blue in recent Mars image

London, May 27 (ANI): A new image taken by Nasa's rover perched on the edge of a 14 mile-wide crater shows Mars in shades of blue.

The solar-powered robot called 'Opportunity' used its panoramic camera to capture Mar's landscape which was lit-up by the late afternoon sun.

Robot 'Opportunity' snapped its own shadow in the Mars image.

Scientists then colored some of the picture with an aqua blue tone to help show the differences between various areas that included dunes on the Endeavour Crater's floor, the Sky News reported.

Most these pictures were taken on March 9, 2012, on the 2,888th day since Opportunity has worked on the planet.

Since arriving there in August 2011, the machine has been studying the western rim of the crater, which is about the same size as the US city of Seattle.

At the time of the image, the robot was spending several weeks at the location to preserve energy during the winter.

It later resumed driving and is presently investigating a patch of windblown dust near its winter haven.

Since its landing in the Meridiani region of Mars in January 2004, 'Opportunity' has driven about 21 miles so far.

NASA has revealed that Opportunity and its rover twin, Spirit, have completed their three-month prime missions on Mars in April 2004.

But both machines have continued for years, providing bonus, extended missions.

The robots have made crucial discoveries about wet environments on ancient Mars that may have been favorable for supporting microbial life.

However 'Spirit' stopped communicating in 2010. (ANI)