In my first post on the Community board, two months after I began posting here, I compared myself to the MERS Opportunity Rover, but my explorations were of the virtual world known as the Habitable Zone. I ended my post contemplating about how long Opportunity would last verses how long my participation on this board would last. I never thought it would be 15 years.

From the very first stereo pair Opportunity sent home I have had a special place in my mind for this rover. It was so compelling to have this instrument laden rover doing actual geologic investigations on another planet. The data was so rich! Not only stereo photography at several wavelengths, there was chemical data, a tool to get a fresh surface for examination, and a magnifier to get a close look. For a geologist, it was almost like being there.

The online conversation was also rich. The level of communication among enthusiasts was something new and exciting. There were so many virtual communities like this one, all bringing information and opinion to the campfire discussion. They ranged from the esoteric scientific discussions of the subtleties of spectral data and image manipulation to completely silly conversations about alien artifacts and fossils. We had all of that here at the Zone.

I think this is the influence of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers that has been overlooked in this final eulogy for the MERS. The online digestion of MERS data was extraordinary.

It's beer:30, Oppy, grab a cold one from the cooler. You've earned it.