Mars Hand Lens Imager

The instrument is mounted on the rover's robotic arm. It is primarily used to acquire microscopic images of rock and soil, but it can also be used for other images. MAHLI can take true-color images at 1600×1200 pixels with a resolution as high as 14.5 micrometers per pixel.{{cite web|publisher=NASA|url=https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission/instruments/cameras/mahli/|title=Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI)|accessdate=July 10, 2019}} MAHLI has an 18.3 mm to 21.3 mm focal length and a 33.8- to 38.5-degree field of view.{{cite web |url=http://msl-scicorner.jpl.nasa.gov/Instruments/MAHLI/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090320124731/http://msl-scicorner.jpl.nasa.gov/Instruments/MAHLI/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 20, 2009 |title=Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) |publisher=NASA/JPL |first=Kenneth S. |last=Edgett |accessdate=March 23, 2009 }} MAHLI has both white and ultraviolet LED illumination for imaging in darkness or fluorescence imaging. MAHLI also has mechanical focusing in a range from infinite to millimetre distances. This system can make some images with focus stacking processing. MAHLI can store either the raw images or do real-time lossless predictive or JPEG compression. The [http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA16132.jpg calibration target] ([http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/images/MAHLIcaltarget-br2.jpg 3-D image]) for MAHLI includes color references, a metric bar graphic, a 1909 VDB Lincoln penny, and a stairstep pattern for depth calibration.{{cite web |website=NASA.gov |title=3D View of MAHLI Calibration Target |url=http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/?ImageID=4664 |date=September 13, 2012 |publisher=NASA |accessdate=October 11, 2012 }}

NASA says, "The main purpose of Curiosity{{'}}s MAHLI camera is to acquire close-up, high-resolution views of rocks and soil at the rover's Gale Crater field site. The camera is capable of focusing on any target at distances of about 0.8 inch (2.1 centimeters) to infinity. This means it can, as shown here, also obtain pictures of the Martian landscape."{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/PIA15691.html|title=Curiosity's First Color Image of the Martian Landscape|website=NASA.gov|date=17 July 2018 |publisher=NASA}}

The device is also used to take photos of the rover. One of those photos was considered in 2013 by Discovery News as one of the best space robot selfies.{{cite web|last=O'Neill|first=Ian|title=Top 10 Space Robot 'Selfies': Photos|url=http://news.discovery.com/space/history-of-space/top-10-space-robot-selfies-photos-131204.htm|publisher=Discovery News|accessdate=27 December 2013|date=5 December 2013|archive-date=5 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405082044/http://news.discovery.com/space/history-of-space/top-10-space-robot-selfies-photos-131204.htm|url-status=dead}}

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{{Wiktionary|MAHLI}}

{{Commons category multi|Curiosity rover|Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI)}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090320124731/http://msl-scicorner.jpl.nasa.gov/Instruments/MAHLI/ MAHLI] from NASA
• [http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16007 Curiosity{{'}}s Landscape Portrait in Context] from NASA

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Category:Mars imagers

Category:Mars Science Laboratory instruments