NASA's latest panoramic image of Martian landscape

NASA has recently released a breathtaking panoramic picture of Mars, combining 817 images taken by the Pancam (panoramic camera) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. Naming the image as the "next best thing to being there", the landscape image reveals a full circle Martian view, even detailing the six-wheeled Opportunity rover's own tracks.

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been exploring Mars for more than 8 years, landing on the planet in January 2004 for what was initially planned as a three-month mission.

Click on the photos above to see more spectacular images of the Red Planet.