Rocknest 3

{{short description|Martian rock}}

{{Infobox feature on celestial object

|name = Rocknest 3

|image = 300px

|caption = "Rocknest 3" rock on Mars - target of the ChemCam and APXS instruments on the Curiosity rover (October 5, 2012) (white-balanced image).

|type = Rock

|coordinates = {{coord|4.59|S|137.44|E|globe:mars_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

}}

Rocknest 3 is a rock on the surface of Aeolis Palus, between Peace Vallis and Aeolis Mons (Mount Sharp), in Gale crater on the planet Mars. The approximate site coordinates are: {{coord|4.59|S|137.44|E|globe:Mars}}.

The rock was encountered at Rocknest by the Curiosity rover on its way from Bradbury Landing to the Point Lake overlook while traveling toward Glenelg Intrigue in October 2012. The rock measures about {{convert|10|cm|in|abbr=on}} high and {{convert|40|cm|in|abbr=on}} wide and was a target of the ChemCam and APXS instruments on the Curiosity rover.{{cite web |author=Staff |title= PIA16452: A Martian Rock Called 'Rocknest 3' |url=http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16452 |date=November 26, 2012 |publisher=NASA |access-date=November 27, 2012 }}{{cite web |author=Staff |title=Thanksgiving on Mars: Working Holiday for Curiosity Rover |url=http://www.space.com/18594-mars-thanksgiving-curiosity-rover.html|date=November 22, 2012 |publisher=Space.com |access-date=November 22, 2012 }}

Image:PIA16452-MarsCuriosityRover-Rocknest3-20121005-fig2.jpg|"Rocknest 3" rock - target of the ChemCam and APXS instruments on the Curiosity rover (October 5, 2012 ).

Image:PIA16451-MarsCuriosityRover-Rocknest3Rock-RMI-20121003.jpg|"Rocknest 3" rock - target of the ChemCam and APXS instruments on the Curiosity rover (October 3, 2012)

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{{wide image|PIA16453-MarsCuriosityRover-RocknestPanorama-20121126.jpg|800px|align-cap=center|Curiosity rover's view from Rocknest looking eastward toward Point Lake (center) on the way to Glenelg Intrigue (November 26, 2012, white balanced) (raw color).}}