An end to the Phoenix mission and Spirit in peril

Taking the second headline item first, the Spirit rover is in a perilously low energy state due to an overhead dust storm and an already pretty dusty set of solar panels. The mission is keeping it in a low energy state with minimal activity and minimal communication with the Earth... let's all hope Spirit pulls through. There are lots more interesting things for it to check out in the Inner Basin south of Home Plate.

As to the first headline item, the Phoenix lander, being at a very high northern latitude never had a chance for lasting beyond the onset of northern winter and it looks like the end has finally arrived. It was a highly successful mission though and gave us our first "taste" of Martian ice.