Note to designers of rovers: TELESCOPES.

That reminds me of a conversation here a while back that I read but didn't have time to jump in. The camera optics on these rovers are pretty much the same as Pathfinder's IMP, but because the CCD resolution is so much higher, the result is a sort of digital/virtual telephoto lens. If Pathfinder had imaged that scene, it'd be packed into about a quarter as many pixels, with an eighth the resolution. (Or something like that--I don't remember Pathfinder's specs, but it's on that order.)

So, you got what you asked for. What we really want is an even-higher resolution CCD in the camera on the next rovers. And I'm sure we'll get it.

Besides, these rovers can move closer. Pathfinder (the lander) and the Vikings were rooted to one spot forever. Patience. Think of what these rovers can do as a very sloooow zoom...