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This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on April 22, 2004 shows craters in the vicinity of Mars' southern hemisphere. | Released 22 April 2004Our group is from Saratoga Springs, NY and is called the Saratoga Springs NASA Club. It contains approximately 30 students between 9th and 12th grade who have been participating since September of 2001. We also worked with a small group of students from Chekhov, Russia in order to do a joint MSIP project. Chekhov is the sister city of Saratoga Springs. Their group contains kids of the same age group as our NASA Club. Our group, along with a few students from the Chekhov branch, visited Arizona State University in November of 2003.The image we targeted is in the Southern Hemisphere and is at -67 degrees N.We chose this area because of the presence of craters in the vicinity, which we hope will help with our thesis about the presence of craters that contain lobates as use for evidence that there might once have been water in this area.This image is causing us considerable difficulty due to the presence of a structure that resembles a lake located in the center of the crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -67.1, Longitude 55.3 East (304.7 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.NASA and Arizona State University's Mars Education Program is offering students nationwide the opportunity to be involved in authentic Mars research by participating in the Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP). Teams of students in grades 5 through college sophomore level have the opportunity to work with scientists, mission planners and educators on the THEMIS team at ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility, to image a site on Mars using the THEMIS visible wavelength camera. For more information go to the MSIP website: http://msip.asu.edu.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image acquired on June 12, 2021 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows layers in a kilometer-wide cutout, sloping from the crater's rim at right downward toward its floor off to the left. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionImpact craters are natural "road cuts," exposing planetary layers in cross-section. However, the violent process of impact can also disrupt existing layers.A kilometer-wide cutout shows layers sloping from the crater's rim at right downward toward its floor off to the left. A gradient of enhanced colors indicates diverse compositions. Clay minerals have been detected here, and one interpretation is that they formed through weathering under a wetter ancient climate, with layers near the surface having more water-altered compositions than deeper ones. Another interpretation is that the layers of different compositions were laid down at different times, from different processes and source materials.Elsewhere, the lower layers appear abruptly offset along a fault, a common feature in impact craters of this size (roughly 20 kilometers). In addition, the upper layers show a patchy distribution of colors, with some blocks that might have been ejected from deeper locations within the crater during impact.The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 51.3 centimeters [20.2 inches] per pixel [with 2 x 2 binning]; objects on the order of 154 centimeters [60.6 inches] across are resolved.) North is up.The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows Cerberus Fossae, comprised of several long fractures radial to the Elysium Volcanic complex. This fracture appears to have been a vent for some of the local lava flows. | Context image for PIA10806Cerberus FossaeCerberus Fossae is comprised of several long fractures radial to the Elysium Volcanic complex. This fracture appears to have been a vent for some of the local lava flows.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 8.0N, Longitude 161.1E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander shows 3 images of a handful of martian soil the robotic arm scoop dug from the digging site informally called 'Knave of Hearts,' from the trench informally called 'Dodo' on June 1, 2008. | These three color views show the Robotic Arm scoop from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. The image shows a handful of Martian soil dug from the digging site informally called "Knave of Hearts," from the trench informally called "Dodo," on the ninth Martian day of the mission, or Sol 9 (June 3, 2008). "Dodo" is the same site as the earlier test trench dug on the seventh Martian day of the mission, or Sol 7 (June 1, 2008).The Robotic Arm Camera took the three color views at different focus positions. Scientists can better study soil structure and estimate how much soil was collected by taking multiple images at different foci.The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.Photojournal Note: As planned, the Phoenix lander, which landed May 25, 2008 23:53 UTC, ended communications in November 2008, about six months after landing, when its solar panels ceased operating in the dark Martian winter. | |
Flying through the canyons and over the ridges of Valles Marineris, viewers can experience some of the thrills that gripped explorers who pushed into unknown regions on Earth as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey. | Flying through the canyons and over the ridges of Valles Marineris, viewers can experience some of the thrills that gripped explorers who pushed into unknown regions on Earth. Buried in the rocks of this magnificent Martian canyon lies a history book of Mars that scientists have just begun to open. This scene comes from "Flight Through Mariner Valley," an exciting video produced for NASA by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The video takes viewers on a simulated flight into Valles Marineris, where they explore its scenic wonders as their imaginary scout ship dives low over landslides and races through winding canyons.The video features high-resolution images from Arizona State University's Thermal Emission Imaging System multi-band camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey. The images, which show details as small as 300 meters (1,000 feet) across, were taken at infrared wavelengths during the Martian daytime. Scientists joined hundreds of individual frames from the camera into a giant mosaic, then colored the mosaic to approximate how Mars would appear to the human eye. To give the mosaic depth and height, moviemakers fitted it to a computerized topographic model for Valles Marineris. This was developed using hundreds of thousands of altitude measurements by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter, an instrument on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. | |
An area of rocky terrain and varied hues of soil is visible in the lower portion of this image, taken by NASA's Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) on July 8, 1997. The lighter areas of soil may be partially composed of salts. | An area of rocky terrain and varied hues of soil are visible in this image, taken by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) on Sol 4. The lighter areas of soil may be partially composed of salts.Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is an operating division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) was developed by the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory under contract to JPL. Peter Smith is the Principal Investigator. | |
This image was taken during the first drive of NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars on March 4, 2021. | This image was taken during the first drive of NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars on March 4, 2021. Perseverance landed on Feb. 18, 2021, and the team has been spending the weeks since landing checking out the rover to prepare for surface operations. This image was taken by the rover's Navigation Cameras.A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.For more about Perseverance: mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/ | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor captured a dust storm advancing across the northern plains toward Tempe Terra on August 22, 1998. | MOC wide angle cameras captured a dust storm advancing across the northern plains toward Tempe Terra on August 22, 1998. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a sand sheet with surface dune forms on the floor of an unnamed crater in Noachis Terra. | Context imageThis VIS image shows a sand sheet with surface dune forms on the floor of an unnamed crater in Noachis Terra.Orbit Number: 82070 Latitude: -48.8906 Longitude: 34.114 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-06-14 22:47Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This false color image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the interior of Ganges Chasma. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of the interior of Ganges Chasma.Orbit Number: 3635 Latitude: -7.89883 Longitude: 311.668 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2002-10-09 18:38Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows two unnamed channels on the western edge of Claritas Fossae. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows two unnamed channels on the western edge of Claritas Fossae. The small channel joins the larger one close the the crater rim. The main channel has formed a delta in the crater. Deltas are formed when sediment laden rivers slow down – either due to a flattening of topography, or entering a standing body of water. The reduction in velocity causes the sediments to be deposited. The main channel often diverges into numerous smaller channel that spread apart to form the typical fan shape of a delta.Orbit Number: 92145 Latitude: -39.0947 Longitude: 256.903 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-09-22 12:24Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This anaglyph from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a circular feature in northern Terra Meridiani. The circular feature was once an impact crater. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-316, 8 August 2002Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images have shown time and again that the geology and history of Mars is complex. These two pictures show different views of a circular feature in northern Terra Meridiani at 2.3°N, 356.6°W. The first is a mosaic of 3 MOC narrow angle images acquired in August 1999, November 2000, and June 2002. The black area is a gap in coverage resulting from data lost after transmission from Mars to Earth. The second picture is a stereo ("3-D") anaglyph of a portion of the same circular feature. It has been rotated 90° clockwise to show the stereo effect that results from combining the August 1999 image, which was taken while the spacecraft was pointed nadir (straight down) and the June 2002 image, taken with the spacecraft pointing backwards about 16° (i.e., MGS Relay-16 orientation). The anaglyph should be viewed with "3-D" glasses (red in left eye, blue in the right).The circular feature was once an impact crater. The crater was 2.6 km (1.6 mi) across, about 2.6 times larger than the famous Meteor Crater in northern Arizona. Terra Meridiani, like northern Arizona, is a region of vast exposures of layered sedimentary rock. Like the crater in Arizona, this one was formed by a meteor that impacted a layered rock substrate. Later, this crater was filled and completely buried under more than 100 m (more than 327 ft) of additional layered sediment. The sediment hardened to become rock. Later still, the rock was eroded away--by processes unknown (perhaps wind)--to re-expose the buried crater. The crater today remains mostly filled with sediment, its present rim standing only about 40 m (130 ft) above its surroundings. | |
The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the floor of Gale Crater. | Context image The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of the floor of Gale Crater.Orbit Number: 51266 Latitude: -4.86134 Longitude: 138.086 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-07-05 04:36Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-524, 25 October 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a rugged surface southwest of Huygens Basin that is covered by large windblown ripples or small dunes. Their orientations indicate that the responsible winds came from either the northwest (upper left) or southeast (lower right), or both. The more complex ripple patterns within the two large craters result from local topographic influences on the wind. This area is located near 20.1°S, 307.3°W. The picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across and is illuminated by sunlight from the upper left. | |
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft captured this image in September 2003, showing the westernmost end of the enormous Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars wherein lies the ruptured landscape known as Noctis Labyrinthus. | Released 10 September 2003At the westernmost end of the enormous Valles Marineris canyon system lies the ruptured landscape known as Noctis Labyrinthus. As the name implies, it is a labyrinth of interconnected canyons that probably results from faulting, collapse, and landslides. The image shows that these canyons are mantled by a thick layer of dust.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -5.9, Longitude 260.8 East (99.2 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows Melas Chasma. The linear and arcuate features at the top of the image are on the surface of a large landslide. | Context imageThis VIS image is located in Melas Chasma. The linear and arcuate features at the top of the image are on the surface of a large landslide. This region of Melas Chasma is covered by several very large landslide deposits. Melas Chasma is part of the largest canyon system on Mars, Valles Marineris. At only 563 km long (349 miles) Melas is not the longest canyon, but it is the widest. Located in the center of Valles Marineris, it has depths up to 9,000 meters (30,000 feet) from the surrounding plains. In addition to landslide deposits, there are layered materials and sand dunes. There is evidence of both water and wind action as modes of formation for many of the interior deposits.Orbit Number: 80264 Latitude: -11.2236 Longitude: 289.776 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-01-18 06:05Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of an unnamed crater located in Terra Sabaea. Dark blue tones in this filter combination indicate basaltic sand. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of an unnamed crater located in Terra Sabaea. Dark blue tones in this filter combination indicate basaltic sand.Orbit Number: 80423 Latitude: -8.92009 Longitude: 22.5362 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-01-31 08:18Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a graben (a trough formed when the ground drops between two parallel faults) and a lava flow in the Tharsis volcanic province of Mars. North is up. | This image shows a graben (a trough formed when the ground drops between two parallel faults) and a lava flow in the Tharsis volcanic province of Mars. North is up. The image covers an area about 6 kilometers (4 miles) wide.Relations like this can be used to establish the relative ages of features on the surface. The graben is from the upper left to middle right of the image. The lava flow is from lower left to upper right. In this case, the trough cuts the lava flow, indicating that it is younger. If the trough existed when the flow occurred, lava would have spilled into and flooded it before the flow was able to proceed to the north.Another interesting feature in this lava flow is the trace of a central channel, indicated by two roughly parallel linear features within the flow. After the first lava flowed across this area, the rest of the flow was probably concentrated in this inner channel. The channel was still full of lava when the flow stopped, and so the surface is still at the same height as the rest of the flow.This image is one product from an Oct. 13, 2010, HiRISE observation catalogued as ESP_019747_1975, of an area centered at 17.4 degrees north latitude, 235.9 degrees east longitude. Other image products from this observation are available at http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_019747_1975. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey was collected October 19, 2002 during the northern spring season on Mars. In this image Korolev Crater and its surroundings are still frost covered. | Released 10 March 2004 The Odyssey spacecraft has completed a full Mars year of observations of the red planet. For the next several weeks the Image of the Day will look back over this first mars year. It will focus on four themes: 1) the poles - with the seasonal changes seen in the retreat and expansion of the caps; 2) craters - with a variety of morphologies relating to impact materials and later alteration, both infilling and exhumation; 3) channels - the clues to liquid surface flow; and 4) volcanic flow features. While some images have helped answer questions about the history of Mars, many have raised new questions that are still being investigated as Odyssey continues collecting data as it orbits Mars. Infrared images taken during the daytime exhibit both the morphological and thermophysical properties of the surface of Mars. Morphologic details are visible due to the effect of sun-facing slopes receiving more energy than antisun-facing slopes. This creates a warm (bright) slope and cool (dark) slope appearance that mimics the light and shadows of a visible wavelength image. Thermophysical properties are seen in that dust heats up more quickly than rocks. Thus dusty areas are bright and rocky areas are dark. This image was collected October 19, 2002 during the northern spring season. In this image Korolev Crater and its surroundings are still frost covered. Image information: IR instrument. Latitude 71.6, Longitude 165.1 East (194.9 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Coprates Chasma. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Coprates Chasma. The pale blueish regions over the low elevations of the chasma may be an atmospheric haze.Orbit Number: 58764 Latitude: -12.2698 Longitude: 293.692 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-03-14 07:58Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This three-dimensional perspective view of the Martian polar layered terrain was created by combining NASA's Viking images with NASA's Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter measurements of the height of the surface. | This three-dimensional perspective view of the Martian polar layered terrain was created by combining Viking images with Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter measurements of the height of the surface. A bright blue ellipse indicates the landing location of the landing site. The ellipse is 5 kilometers wide and 90 kilometers long. . The landing site is located at latitude 76 degrees South, longitude 195 degrees West.Launched Jan. 3, Mars Polar Lander will set down gently on the Red Planet Dec. 3 for the start of a three-month mission to help scientists study the planet's climate history. Polar Lander was launched toward a Colorado-sized area at about 75 degrees south latitude on Mars. Mission planners have been reviewing images and three-dimensional topographic measurements from NASA's orbiting Mars Global Surveyor mission to pick a safe and scientifically interesting spot to land.Piggybacking on the Polar Lander are two basketball-sized aeroshells containing the Deep Space 2 microprobes. Part of NASA's New Millennium program, which tests risky new technologies for future science missions, these two grapefruit-sized penetrators will smash into Mars at about 400 mph and search for signs of water ice about 3 feet below the surface.Mars Polar Lander and its companion mission, the Mars Climate Orbiter, make up the second wave of spacecraft in the long-term Mars Surveyor Program, which is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA's Office of Space Science. JPL's industrial partner in the development and operation of the Mars Global Surveyor, Polar Lander, and Climate Orbiter spacecraft is Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, CO. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA.For additional information about the Mars Surveyor 1998 Project, please visit our website at:http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msp98/lander/launch.htmlTo view additional MOC images, please visit the MSSS website at http://www.msss.com | |
Nili Fossae, once considered a potential landing spot for the Mars Science Laboratory, has one of the largest, most diverse exposures of clay minerals as seen by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionIn a Context Camera (CTX) image, there is a large angular fragment that appears to have light and dark-toned bands. HiRISE images of similar fragments nearby also show this banding, and the resolution of our camera may help determine what these layers are.Nili Fossae was once considered a potential landing spot for the Mars Science Laboratory, and has one of the largest, most diverse exposures of clay minerals. Clay minerals contain water in their mineral structure and may preserve organic materials.HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the floor of an unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of the floor of an unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea. The floor of the crater has several depressions, as well as small ridges, both caused by erosion.Orbit Number: 77888 Latitude: 22.5436 Longitude: 74.1766 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-07-06 14:43Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Noctis Labyrinthus on Mars and the volcanic plains to the south. A large landslide covers the floor of one of the canyons. | Context image for PIA10021Noctis LabyrinthusThis infrared image shows part of Noctis Labyrinthus and the volcanic plains to the south. A large landslide covers the floor of one of the canyons.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -12.7N, Longitude 264.7E. 97 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the Syrtis Major face of Mars in mid-January 2005. | 18 January 2004This picture is a composite of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) daily global images acquired at Ls 145° during a previous Mars year. This month, Mars looks similar, as Ls 145° occurred in mid-January 2005.This picture shows the Syrtis Major face of Mars. Over the course of the month, additional faces of Mars as it appears at this time of year are being posted for MOC Picture of the Day.Ls, solar longitude, is a measure of the time of year on Mars. Mars travels 360° around the Sun in 1 Mars year. The year begins at Ls 0°--the start of northern spring and southern summer. In January 2005, it is northern summer and southern winter. The seasons on Mars occur according to Ls, described in the following table:LsSeason0° - 90°northern spring, southern autumn90° - 180°northern summer, southern winter180° - 270°northern autumn, southern spring270° - 360°northern winter, southern summer | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-536, 6 November 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a typical view--at 1.5 meters (5 feet) per pixel--of surfaces in far western Utopia Planitia. In this region, the plains have developed cracks and pit chains arranged in a polygonal pattern. The pits form by collapse along the trend of a previously-formed crack. This picture is located near 45.0°N, 275.4°W. This April 2003 image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left. | |
This 360-degree mosaic from the Mastcam on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover looks out over a portion of the Bagnold Dunes, which stretch for several miles. | This 360-degree mosaic from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover looks out over a portion of the Bagnold Dunes, which stretch for several miles. From early February to early April 2017, the rover examined four sites near linear dunes for comparison with what it found in late 2015 and early 2016 during its investigation of crescent-shaped dunes. This two-phase campaign is the first close-up study of active dunes anywhere other than Earth.The dark, rippled surface of a linear dune is visible at the center of the view and receding into the distance to the left. The bedrock of the Murray formation, made from sediments deposited in lakes billions of years ago, is in the foreground, along with some components of the rover. The location, called "Ogunquit Beach," is on the northwestern flank of lower Mount Sharp. Northwest is at both ends of this full-circle panorama; southeast is at the center, where a higher portion of Mount Sharp dominates the horizon. A portion of this panorama showing textural details of the dune and bedrock is at PIA11242.Among the questions this Martian dune campaign is addressing is how winds shape the dunes into different patterns. Others include whether Martian winds sort grains of sand in ways that affect the distribution of mineral compositions, which also would have implications for studies of Martian sandstones. The 115 individual images that were combined into this mosaic were acquired by the Mastcam's left-eye camera on March 24 and March 25, 2017, (PST) during the 1,647th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. This mosaic is white-balanced so that the colors of the colors of the rock and sand materials resemble how they would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. The rover's position on Sol 1647 is shown at https://mars.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/2017/curiositys-traverse-map-through-sol-1646 as the location reached by a drive on Sol 1646.Photojournal Note: Also available is the full resolution TIFF file PIA11241_full.tif. This file may be too large to view from a browser; it can be downloaded onto your desktop by right-clicking on the previous link and viewed with image viewing software.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover. Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates the rover's Mastcam.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the central peak and floor of Burton Crater. | Context imageToday's VIS image covers part of the central peak and floor of Burton Crater. The central peak slopes are covered with numerous dark streaks. There are several suggested mechanisms to form these features. Two of the mechanisms are that the dusty surface has been altered to reveal darker rock beneath from motion of downward moving dust, or the surface is darkening by fluid or other surface staining.Orbit Number: 81727 Latitude: -14.0279 Longitude: 203.923 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-05-17 17:09Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
A relatively dusty plateau with some spur and gully topography is visible along its southern edge as well as amphitheater shaped alcove in this image taken in November 2003 by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Released 13 November 2003At top one sees a relatively dusty plateau with some spur and gully topography visible along its southern edge as well as amphitheater shaped alcoves. The plateau surface then drops down to reveal a canyon floor covered with yardangs. The floor material appears to be layered and is being stripped out by the wind to form the yardangs.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -5.9, Longitude 146.5 East (213.5 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This graph shows the predicted daily change in the atmospheric temperature one meter above the surface of Mars at Gusev Crater, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's landing site. | This graph shows the predicted daily change in the atmospheric temperature one meter above the surface of Mars at Gusev Crater, the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's landing site. The blue curve denotes predicted values for sol 1 (the first day of Spirit's mission) and the yellow for sol 100 (100 days into the mission). The light blue symbols represent temperatures for a total atmospheric dust abundance of 0.7 visible optical depth units, and the darker blue symbols for a total atmospheric dust abundance of 1.0 visible optical depth units. Scientists use this data to ensure that Spirit stays within the right temperature range. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Terra Sabaea between the graben of Nili Fossae and the lowlands of Isidis Planitia. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Terra Sabaea between the graben of Nili Fossae (depression at the top of the image) and the lowlands of Isidis Planitia. Small sand dunes are visible near the bottom of the image. Dark blue tones in this filter combination indicate basaltic sands.Orbit Number: 78075 Latitude: 21.3155 Longitude: 79.0343 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-07-22 00:17Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows plains and crater dune fields of Terra Cimmeria on Mars. | Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAThis daytime IR image shows more of the plains and crater dune fields of Terra Cimmeria.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -68.8N, Longitude 138.8E. 121 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image, part of an images as art series from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on March 5, 2004 shows a martian landscape resembling a guppy. | Released 5 March 2004Humanity is a very visual species. We rely on our eyes to tell us what is going on in the world around us. Put any image in front of a person and that person will examine the picture looking for anything familiar. Even if the examiner has no idea what he/she is looking at in a picture, he/she will still be able to make a statement about the picture, usually preceded by the words "it looks like..." The image above is part of the surface of Mars, but is presented for its artistic value rather than its scientific value. When first viewed, this image solicited a statement that "it looks like..." something seen in everyday life. And with this departing guppy, we bid farewell to the THEMIS Images as Art series.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image, one of the first captured by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander, shows the vast plains of the northern polar region of Mars. The flat landscape is strewn with tiny pebbles and shows polygonal cracking. | This image, one of the first captured by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander, shows the vast plains of the northern polar region of Mars. The flat landscape is strewn with tiny pebbles and shows polygonal cracking, a pattern seen widely in Martian high latitudes and also observed in permafrost terrains on Earth. The polygonal cracking is believed to have resulted from seasonalcontraction and expansion of surface ice. Phoenix touched down on the Red Planet at 4:53 p.m. Pacific Time (7:53 p.m. Eastern Time), May 25, 2008, in an arctic region called Vastitas Borealis, at 68 degrees north latitude, 234 degrees east longitude. This is an approximate-color image taken shortly after landing by the spacecraft's Surface Stereo Imager, inferred from two color filters, a violet, 450-nanometer filter and an infrared, 750-nanometer filter.The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.Photojournal Note: As planned, the Phoenix lander, which landed May 25, 2008 23:53 UTC, ended communications in November 2008, about six months after landing, when its solar panels ceased operating in the dark Martian winter. | |
Seen shortly after local Martian sunrise, clouds gather in the summit pit, or caldera, of Pavonis Mons, a giant volcano on Mars, in this image from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter. | Seen shortly after local Martian sunrise, clouds gather in the summit pit, or caldera, of Pavonis Mons, a giant volcano on Mars, in this image from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter. The clouds are mostly made of ice crystals. They appear blue in the image because the cloud particles scatter blue light more strongly than other colors. Pavonis Mons stands about nine miles (14 kilometers) high, and the caldera spans about 29 miles (47 kilometers) wide. This image was made by THEMIS through three of its visual-light filters plus a near-infrared filter, and it is approximately true in color.THEMIS and other instruments on Mars Odyssey have been studying Mars from orbit since 2001.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This graph shows about one-fourth of a Martian year's pattern atmospheric pressure at the surface of Mars, as measured by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station on NASA's Curiosity rover. | This graph shows about one-fourth of a Martian year's pattern atmospheric pressure at the surface of Mars, as measured by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station on NASA's Curiosity rover. The rover landed at about the time of the annual minimum in atmospheric pressure and documented a seasonal climb to a pressure peak. The maximum and minimum pressures for each Martian day, or sol, from mid-August 2012 to late February 2013 are plotted. Pressure is designated in pascals. For comparison, 1,000 pascals is about one percent of sea-level atmospheric pressure on Earth. The start of the curve is late winter in Mars' southern hemisphere. The end of the curve is at the end of southern spring. The overall increase is the signature of the entire Martian atmosphere growing in mass through the southern-hemisphere spring. This happens because the south pole receives more and more sunlight, and carbon dioxide vaporizes off of the winter south polar cap. Each year the atmosphere grows and shrinks by about 30 percent due to this effect. The pressure then begins to decline as carbon dioxide freezes out of the atmosphere in the north, forming the winter north polar cap.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the rover. More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. | |
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover recorded this stereo view of various rock types at waypoint called 'the Kimberley' shortly after arriving at the location on April 2, 2014. You need 3-D glasses to view this image. | NASA's Curiosity Mars rover recorded this stereo view of various rock types at a waypoint called "the Kimberley" shortly after arriving at the location during the 589th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (April 2, 2014). The scene appears three dimensional when viewed through red-blue glasses with the red lens on the left.The Kimberley was selected in 2013 as a major waypoint for the mission because of the diversity of rock types distinguishable in orbital images, exposed close together at this location in a decipherable geological relationship to each other. The outcrop at the center of the image is a category that the rover team scientists call "striated," from its appearance in images taken from orbit before the rover reached this area. Farther in the distance, the striated type is overlain by other types. On the horizon, slopes of Mount Sharp -- the mission's long-term destination -- are on the left and the rim of Gale Crater is on the right.Curiosity's Navigation Camera (Navcam) took the component images of this mosaic. The scene spans from south-southwest at left to west-northwest at the right. This stereo version is presented as a cylindrical-perspective projection.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover and the rover's Navcam.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. | |
The northern margin of Terra Sabaea has numerous channels. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a portion of an unnamed channel on the margin of Terra Sabaea. | Context imageThe northern margin of Terra Sabaea has numerous channels. This VIS image shows a portion of an unnamed channel on the margin of Terra Sabaea.Orbit Number: 62671 Latitude: 32.4925 Longitude: 59.3678 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-01-30 02:47Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows late spring in this portion of the martian south polar region. Dark patches within the ellipse are sand and small fields of windblown sand dunes. The bright patches toward the top of the image are frost. | On December 3rd, Mars Polar Lander and the Deep Space 2 Microprobes (Scott and Amundsen) will land somewhere in the picture shown here. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) wide angle camera view of the polar landing ellipse was taken on November 28, 1999. Dark patches within the ellipse are sand and small fields of windblown sand dunes. The bright patches toward the top of the image are frost. It is late spring in this portion of the martian south polar region, and much of the winter frost has finally sublimed away. The ellipse center is located at 76°S 195°W. In this view, nor this toward the bottom and sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower right. The image covers an area approximately 105 km (65 miles) wide by 335 km (210 miles) long. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this gray-scale panoramic camera image of the 'Columbia Hills' on sol 107 (April 21, 2004). The hills are seen rising above a rocky martian surface in the foreground. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this gray-scale panoramic camera image of the "Columbia Hills" on sol 107 (April 21, 2004). Spirit is still approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) and 52 sols away from its destination at the western base of the hills.Once Spirit reaches the base, scientists and rover controllers will re-analyze the terrain and determine whether to send the rover up the mountain. Another option will be to send Spirit south along the base where she may encounter outcrops as indicated by orbital images from the Mars Orbiter Camera on the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows the western rim of an unnamed crater in Hesperia Planum. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows the western rim of an unnamed crater in Hesperia Planum.Orbit Number: 66848 Latitude: -14.0383 Longitude: 113.177 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-01-08 04:19Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a linear depression, part of Sirenum Fossae. | Context imageThe linear depression in this VIS image is part of Sirenum Fossae. Depressions of this type are called graben, which form by the down drop of material between two parallel faults. The faults are caused by tectonic stresses in the region. The Sirenum Fossae graben are 2735km (1700 miles) long.Orbit Number: 83743 Latitude: -37.2437 Longitude: 191.251 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-10-30 16:21Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
With all the frost gone, the south polar region on Mars is exhibiting more than just layering and surface markings. As this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows, the polar surface is not smooth at this resolution. | Context image for PIA03191Surface Texture Now that all the frost is gone, the south polar region is exhibiting more than just layering and surface markings. As this image shows, the polar surface is not smooth at this resolution.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 85.9S, Longitude 192.5E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera to shoot video of Phobos, one of Mars' two moons, eclipsing the Sun. | Click here for animation (.mp4)Click here for animation (.gif)NASA's Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera system to shoot video of Phobos, one of Mars' two moons, eclipsing the Sun. It's the most zoomed-in, highest-frame-rate observation of a Phobos solar eclipse ever taken from the Martian surface.Several Mars rovers have observed Phobos crossing in front of the Sun over the past 18 years. Spirit and Opportunity made the first observations in 2004; Curiosity in 2019 was the first to record video of the event. Each time these eclipses are observed, they allow scientists to measure subtle shifts in Phobos' orbit over time. The moon's tidal forces pull on the deep interior crust and mantle of the Red Planet; studying how much Phobos shifts over time reveals something about how resistant the crust and mantle are, and thus what kinds of materials they're made of.It's long been known that Phobos is drifting toward the Martian surface year by year; tens of millions of years from now, it is expected to crash into the planet or fragment into chunks that will impact the planet. Studying Phobos' orbit also allows scientists to refine predictions of when the doomed moon will crash into Mars.A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover. Arizona State University in Tempe leads the operations of the Mastcam-Z instrument, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, on the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of the cameras, and in collaboration with the Neils Bohr Institute of the University of Copenhagen on the design, fabrication, and testing of the calibration targets.For more about Perseverance:mars.nasa.gov/mars2020nasa.gov/perseverance | |
Pink stratus clouds are coming from the northeast at about 15 miles per hour at an approximate height of ten miles above the surface. The image was taken by NASA's Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) on Sol 16. Sol 1 began on July 4, 1997. | Pink stratus clouds are coming from the northeast at about 15 miles per hour (6.7 meters/second) at an approximate height of ten miles (16 kilometers) above the surface. The clouds consist of water ice condensed on reddish dust particles suspended in the atmosphere. Clouds on Mars are sometimes localized and can sometimes cover entire regions, but have not yet been observed to cover the entire planet. The image was taken by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) on Sol 16 about forty minutes before sunrise showing areas of the eastern Martian horizon.Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages and Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is an operating division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) was developed by the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory under contract to JPL. Peter Smith is the Principal Investigator.
Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998. | |
Small, dark dunes on Mars are found on the floor of this crater near Meridiani Planum in this image from 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA11898DunesSmall, dark dunes are found on the floor of this crater near Meridiani Planum.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -2.5N, Longitude 351.7E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image taken by NASA's Mars Odyssey shows the north polar sand sea on Mars, and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. | Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called "ergs," an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form.This VIS image was taken at 82 degrees North latitude during Northern spring. As with yesterday's image, the dunes are still partially frost covered. This region is part of the north polar erg (sand sea), note the complexity and regional coverage of the dunes.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 81.2, Longitude 118.2 East (241.8 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The small crater on the floor of the larger crater is called Gasa Crater. Gullies dissect the rims of both craters, as shown in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image The small crater on the floor of the larger crater is called Gasa Crater. Gullies dissect the rims of both craters. These craters are located in Eridania Planitia.Orbit Number: 67465 Latitude: -35.7075 Longitude: 129.365 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-02-27 23:40Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the Tharsis face of Mars in mid-July 2005. | 5 July 2005This picture is a composite of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) daily global images acquired at Ls 249° during a previous Mars year. This month, Mars looks similar, as Ls 249° occurs in mid-July 2005. The picture shows the Tharsis face of Mars. Over the course of the month, additional faces of Mars as it appears at this time of year are being posted for MOC Picture of the Day. Ls, solar longitude, is a measure of the time of year on Mars. Mars travels 360° around the Sun in 1 Mars year. The year begins at Ls 0°, the start of northern spring and southern autumn.Season: Northern Autumn/Southern Spring | |
This anaglyph from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, is of East Mareotis Tholus, a small volcano in Tempe Terra, Mars. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image. | Click on image for larger versionEast Mareotis Tholus is a small volcano in Tempe Terra, Mars. This area is on the northeast edge of the Tharsis bulge that was built up by many large and small volcanoes. One of the many questions we hope to address with HiRISE is the relative roles of the giant shield volcanoes (such as Olympus Mons) and smaller volcanic features (such as East Mareotis Tholus). The anaglyph covers 4.4x6.9 km (2.7x4.9 miles) and the topography can be viewed using red-blue glasses. The elongated pit at the summit of the volcano is where the lava issued forth. The large circular hole just to the SW of the vent is an impact crater. The gouges in the ground to the SE of the volcano are tectonic fissures (called graben) that are now filled with sand dunes. The area is covered with large amounts of wind-blown dust, so it is not surprising that lava flows and other smaller volcanic features are not visible. However, the smooth shape of the volcano, and the lack of lava layers exposed in the impact crater, allow for the possibility that this volcano is composed largely of ash, rather than lava flows.Observation GeometryImage PSP_001760_2160 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 11-Dec-2006. The complete image is centered at 35.9 degrees latitude, 274.9 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 312.2 km (195.1 miles). At this distance the image scale is 62.5 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~187 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 50 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:36 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 54 degrees, thus the sun was about 36 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 148.8 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
This image taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the view south of the large crater dubbed 'Bonneville.' The rock dubbed 'Mazatzal' and the hole the rover drilled in to it can be seen at the lower left. | This is the left-eye version of the 3-D cylindrical-perspective mosaic showing the view south of the martian crater dubbed "Bonneville." The image was taken by the navigation camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. The rover will travel toward the Columbia Hills, seen here at the upper left. The rock dubbed "Mazatzal" and the hole the rover drilled in to it can be seen at the lower left. The rover's position is referred to as "Site 22, Position 32." This image was geometrically corrected to make the horizon appear flat. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Ganges Chasma. A large landslide deposit is visible in the image. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of Ganges Chasma. A large landslide deposit is visible in the center of the image. The radial grooves on the top of a landslide are a common feature formed by the downslope movement of the landslide materials. Ganges Chasma is part of the Valles Marineris chasma system, but is north of the main section of canyons. Ganges Chasma is 584km (363 miles) long.Orbit Number: 89435 Latitude: -8.15265 Longitude: 315.105 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-02-11 09:09Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows a complex region of channels in Tharsis. Called Olympica Fossae, these channel forms were created by lava flows rather than water. | Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAToday's VIS image shows a complex region of channels in Tharsis. Called Olympica Fossae, these channel forms were created by lava flows rather than water.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 24.0N, Longitude 244.8E. 21 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Like drippings from a candle, these lava flows on the flank of Olympus Mons volcano, seen in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, demonstrate how it became the largest volcano in the solar system. | Like drippings from a candle, these lava flows on the flank of Olympus Mons volcano demonstrate how it became the largest volcano in the solar system. Multiple flows from an unknowable number of eruptions have piled one on top of another until the mountain of lava reached a height of 27 km above the average Martian elevation. The change in texture seen in the bottom 1/3 of the image marks a break in slope from the flank of the volcano to the north (top) and the flat plain surrounding it. The direction of flows changes from roughly N-S to E-W, suggesting another source for the flows on the plain.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a region of crisscrossing linear ridges located just north of Nili Fossae on Mars. | Context image for PIA11260Linear RidgesThis region of crisscrossing linear ridges is located just north of Nili Fossae.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 27.2N, Longitude 74.6E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the margin between materials being sculpted by the wind into long, narrow hills and a surface not visibly affected by the wind. | Context imageIn regions where the surface materials are poorly cemented the wind acts to erode the materials into several different forms. This VIS image shows the margin between materials being sculpted by the wind into long, narrow hills and a surface not visibly affected by the wind.Orbit Number: 44722 Latitude: -6.78782 Longitude: 188.219 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-01-13 14:37Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This graph shows the chemical composition of the rock at Gusev Crater dubbed 'Mazatzal' after it was brushed and ground by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's rock abrasion tool. | This graph shows the chemical composition of the rock at Gusev Crater dubbed "Mazatzal" after it was brushed and ground by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's rock abrasion tool. The data, taken by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer over the last few sols, show that the amount of chlorine and sulfur tri-oxide in Mazatzal first increased after brushing, then diminished after grinding. The interior of the rock appears to have the same chemical make-up as other volcanic or basalt rocks studied in the Gusev Crater area ("Adirondack" and "Humphrey"). Its outer coating or rind, on the other hand, appears to be of a different constitution.Scientists are still puzzling out the implications of these data.The larger symbols on the graph represent inferred rock compositions, while the smaller symbols are actual data points. Observations were made at the target dubbed "New York" on Mazatzal. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows dust-raising events -- small dust storms and a few very large dust devils in the Syria/Claritas region of Mars. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-379, 2 June 2003This color-enhanced composite of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) wide angle images shows dust-raising events--small dust "storms" and a few very large dust devils--in the Syria/Claritas region around 2 p.m. (1400) local time on May 21, 2003. The region is southwest of the Labyrinthus Noctis, near 14°S, 108°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the left; winds were blowing from the west/southwest when the picture was taken.This composite was constructed from a full-resolution (240 meters per pixel) red wide angle image and a much lower resolution (7.5 km per pixel) blue wide angle image acquired at the same time. | |
A multitude of dust devil streaks are shown in this image taken in November 2003 by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Released 6 November 2003A multitude of dust devil streaks are easily seen in this THEMIS image.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -52.7, Longitude 206 East (154 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This isolated mesa has an almost heart-shaped margin. Happy Valentine's Day from Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey. | Context image for PIA02174Valentine's DayThis isolated mesa [lower left center of the image] has an almost heart-shaped margin. Happy Valentine's Day from Mars.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 29.4N, Longitude 79.1E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This map shows the two locations of a research campaign by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover mission to investigate active sand dunes inside Gale Crater on Mars. | This map shows the two locations of a research campaign by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover mission to investigate active sand dunes inside Gale Crater on Mars.The Bagnold Dunes form a dark band on the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp, inside the crater. In late 2015 and early 2016, Curiosity examined crescent-shaped dunes, called barchans, which are convex on the downwind (leeward) side. This was the first close-up study of active sand dunes anywhere other than Earth. In February 2017, the rover reached a location where the dunes are linear in shape, and the mission began Phase 2 of its dunes campaign.A map showing Curiosity's full traverse from landing to this part of Mount Sharp is at PIA21144, with the Phase 1 location of the dune campaign identified as "Gobabeb," a specific site where the rover scooped up sand for analysis.The base image for the map is a portion of observation ESP_035917_1755 by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. North is up. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.For more information about Curiosity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows northern Arabia Terra. This region is dissected with numerous unnamed channels of all sizes and complexities. | Context imageToday's VIS image is located in northern Arabia Terra. This region is dissected with numerous unnamed channels of all sizes and complexities. The channel in this image is one of many small tributary channels that coalesce into larger channels that eventually empty into the lower elevation northern plains.Orbit Number: 79337 Latitude: 35.3761 Longitude: 26.7559 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-11-02 22:26Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This combined image taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey, and Mars Global Surveyor, shows the route that Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity had taken its landing site inside 'Victoria Crater' to its position on Dec. 1, 2005. | This image shows the route that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity had driven through its 659th Martian day, or sol, (Dec. 1, 2005) relative to the potential destination of "Victoria Crater" farther south. The base image is a portion of a mosaic (previously released as PIA07506) combining images from the Mars Observer Camera on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor orbiter, the Thermal Emission Imaging System on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, and Opportunity's own Descent Image Motion Estimation System. The scale bar at lower right is 800 meters (one-half mile). | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera (Navcam) to record this image of the northern end of 'Solander Point,' a raised section of the western rim of Endeavour Crater. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera (Navcam) to record this image of the northern end of "Solander Point," a raised section of the western rim of Endeavour Crater.The rover team is using Opportunity to study outcrops around the edge of Solander Point and plans to drive the rover onto Solander Point to continue mobile operations through the upcoming Martian southern hemisphere winter.This view was taken during the mission's 3,391st Martian day, or sol (Aug. 8, 2013). It is centered toward west-northwest, looking across the northern tip of Solander Point.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.For more information about Opportunity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rovers and http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows the northern margin of Olympus Mons, the largest Martian volcano. | Context imageOlympus Rupes is the name of the large escarpment surrounding Olympus Mons. The escarpment is a cliff where there is a large elevation change over a short distance. The elevation change from the lower volcanic plains to the volcano flank is up to 8km (5 miles), almost the height of Mount Everest. This VIS image is located along the northern margin of Olympus Mons, the largest Martian volcano.Orbit Number: 86206 Latitude: 23.0785 Longitude: 225.421 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-05-21 12:21Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows linear depressions, part of Galaxias Fossae. | Context imageThe linear depressions in this VIS image are part of Galaxias Fossae, a series of fractures on the northern part of the Elysium Mons volcanic complex.Orbit Number: 87232 Latitude: 33.1807 Longitude: 145.108 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-08-13 23:54Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the south polar cap. The cap is comprised of layers of ice and dust deposited over millions of years. This image was collected near the end of summer. | Context imageThis VIS image shows part of the south polar cap. The cap is comprised of layers of ice and dust deposited over millions of years. This image was collected near the end of summer.Orbit Number: 92026 Latitude: -86.0282 Longitude: 141.136 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-09-12 16:59Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the Tharsis face of Mars in mid-December 2005. | 6 December 2005This picture is a composite of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) daily global images acquired at Ls 341° during a previous Mars year. This month, Mars looks similar, as Ls 341° occurs in mid-December 2005. The picture shows the Tharsis face of Mars. Over the course of the month, additional faces of Mars as it appears at this time of year are being posted for MOC Picture of the Day. Ls, solar longitude, is a measure of the time of year on Mars. Mars travels 360° around the Sun in 1 Mars year. The year begins at Ls 0°, the start of northern spring and southern autumn.Season: Northern Winter/Southern Summer | |
This image from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows dust-mantled troughs formed by faulting on plains near volcano, Ascraeus Mons. Smooth areas are covered with thick accumulations of dust, rougher surfaces are lava flows that have been blanketed by dust. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-494, 25 September 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture shows dust-mantled troughs formed by faulting on the plains northeast of the volcano, Ascraeus Mons. The smooth areas are covered with thick accumulations of dust, the rougher surfaces are lava flows that also have been blanketed by dust. Thick accumulations of dust are common throughout the Tharsis volcanic region of Mars. This picture is located near 8.3°N, 117.5°W, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-526, 27 October 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) red wide angle image shows Hecates Tholus, the northernmost of the three large Elysium volcanoes. The non-circular pit just southwest (toward lower left) of the center of this view is the summit caldera, a complex depression formed by collapse. This volcano has several large impact craters on its surface, indicating that it is a relatively old landform. None of the martian volcanoes are thought to be active today, and none of the MOC images of the martian volcanoes obtained thus far give any indication to the contrary. Hecates Tholus is located at 32°N, 210°W. This picture is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left and covers an area about 170 km (~105 mi) across. | |
Winds were strong enough to cause about a half a centimeter (.19 inch) of motion of a solar panel on NASA's Phoenix Mars lander when the lander's Surface Stereo Imager took this picture on Aug. 31, 2008. The lander's telltale wind gauge can be seen. | Winds were strong enough to cause about a half a centimeter (.19 inch) of motion of a solar panel on NASA's Phoenix Mars lander when the lander's Surface Stereo Imager took this picture on Aug. 31, 2008, during the 96th Martian day since landing.The lander's telltale wind gauge has been indicating wind speeds of about 4 meters per second (9 miles per hour) during late mornings at the site.These conditions were anticipated and the wind is not expected to do any harm to the lander.The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.Photojournal Note: As planned, the Phoenix lander, which landed May 25, 2008 23:53 UTC, ended communications in November 2008, about six months after landing, when its solar panels ceased operating in the dark Martian winter. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the dune field near Meroe Patera. The paterae are calderas on the volcanic complex called Syrtis Major Planum. | Context image This image shows part of the dune field near Meroe Patera. High resolution imaging by other spacecraft has revealed that the dunes in this region are moving. Winds are blowing the dunes across a rough surface of regional volcanic lava flows. The paterae are calderas on the volcanic complex called Syrtis Major Planum. Dunes are found in both Nili and Meroe Paterae and in the region between the two calderas.The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images!Orbit Number: 48870 Latitude: 6.6541 Longitude: 68.1311 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-12-20 02:19Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
A Change in the Weather | These two Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) images were acquired over the northern plains of Mars near one of the possible landing sites for NASA's Phoenix mission, set to launch in August 2007. The lower right image was acquired first, on Nov. 29, 2006, at 0720 UTC (2:20 a.m. EST), while the upper left image was acquired about one month later on Dec. 26, 2006, at 0030 UTC (or Dec. 25, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. EST). The CRISM data were taken in 544 colors covering the wavelength range from 0.36-3.92 micrometers, and show features as small as about 20 meters (66 feet) across. The images shown above are red-green-blue color composites using wavelengths 0.71, 0.6, and 0.53 micrometers, respectively (or infrared, red, and green light), and are overlain on a mosaic of Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) visible data. Each image covers a region about 11 kilometers (6.6 miles) wide at its narrowest, and they overlap near 71.0 degrees north latitude, 252.8 degrees east longitudeThe Earth equivalent to the season and latitude of this site is late summer in northern Canada, above the Arctic Circle. At that season and latitude, Martian weather conditions are transitioning from summer with generally clear skies, occasional weather fronts, and infrequent dust storms, to an autumn with pervasive, thick water-ice clouds.The striking difference in the appearance of the images is caused by the seasonal development of water-ice clouds. The earlier (lower right) image is cloud-free, and surface features can clearly be seen - like the small crater in the upper left. However, the clouds and haze in the later (upper left) image make it hard to see the surface. There are variations in the thickness and spacing of the clouds, just like clouds on Earth. On other days when nearby sites were imaged, the cloud cover varied day-to-day, but as the seasons change the trend is more and thicker clouds.With the onset of autumn the clouds will gradually cover the area and, just as with autumn on Earth, the Martian day is getting shorter at these high northern latitudes. In a few more months this area will settle into winter darkness and be covered in a layer of frost and carbon dioxide snow.CRISM's mission: Find the spectral fingerprints of aqueous and hydrothermal deposits and map the geology, composition and stratigraphy of surface features. The instrument will also watch the seasonal variations in Martian dust and ice aerosols, and water content in surface materials -- leading to new understanding of the climate.The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) is one of six science instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Led by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the CRISM team includes expertise from universities, government agencies and small businesses in the United States and abroad. | |
This section of the canyon floor of Ius Chasma has been completely filled by blocky deposits from large volume landslides. A landslide is a failure of slope due to gravity. This image was captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image Continuing eastward along Ius Chasma, this section of the canyon floor has been completely filled by blocky deposits from large volume landslides. A landslide is a failure of slope due to gravity. They initiate due to several reasons. A lower layer of poorly cemented/resistant material may have been eroded, undermining the wall above which then collapses; earth quake seismic waves can cause the slope to collapse; and even an impact event near the canyon wall can cause collapse. As millions of tons of material fall and slide down slope a scalloped cavity forms at the upper part where the slope failure occurred. At the material speeds downhill it will pick up more of the underlying slope, increasing the volume of material entrained into the landslide. Whereas some landslides spread across the canyon floor forming lobate deposits, very large volume slope failures will completely fill the canyon floor in a large complex region of chaotic blocks.Ius Chasma is at the western end of Valles Marineris, south of Tithonium Chasma. Valles Marineris is over 4000 kilometers long, wider than the United States. Ius Chasma is almost 850 kilometers long (528 miles), 120 kilometers wide and over 8 kilometers deep. In comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is about 175 kilometers long, 30 kilometers wide, and only 2 kilometers deep. The canyons of Valles Marineris were formed by extensive fracturing and pulling apart of the crust during the uplift of the vast Tharsis plateau. Landslides have enlarged the canyon walls and created deposits on the canyon floor. Weathering of the surface and influx of dust and sand have modified the canyon floor, both creating and modifying layered materials. There are many features that indicate flowing and standing water played a part in the chasma formation.The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images!Orbit Number: 17041 Latitude: -6.50422 Longitude: 272.124 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2005-10-17 10:40Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Color Reveals Translucent Seasonal Ice | Figure 1In a region near the south pole of Mars translucent carbon dioxide ice covers the ground seasonally. For the first time we can "see" the translucent ice by the affect it has on the appearance of the surface below.Dark fans of dust (figure 1) from the surface drape over the top of the seasonal ice. The surface would be the same color as the dust except that the seasonal ice affecting its appearance. Bright bluish streaks are frost that has re-crystallized from the atmosphere. Sunlight can penetrate through the seasonal layer of translucent ice to warm the ground below. That causes the seasonal ice layer to sublime (evaporate) from the bottom rather than the top. Observation GeometryImage PSP_002942_0935 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 13-Mar-2007. The complete image is centered at -86.4 degrees latitude, 99.2 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 245.4 km (153.4 miles). At this distance the image scale is 49.1 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~147 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 50 cm/pixel . The image was taken at a local Mars time of 06:41 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 82 degrees, thus the sun was about 8 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 199.6 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Autumn.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
Scientists believe the circular feature in this image to be a crater near NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The rover landed at Meridiani Planum on Mars at approximately 9:05 p.m. PST on Saturday, Jan. 24. | Scientists believe the circular feature in this image to be a crater near the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The rover landed at Meridiani Planum on Mars at approximately 9:05 p.m. PST on Saturday, Jan. 24. This image was taken at an altitude of 1,986 meters (6,516 feet) by the descent image motion estimation system camera located on the bottom of the rover. The image spans approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) across the surface of Mars. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows large, relatively bright ripples of windblown sediment in the Sinus Sabaeus region south of Schiaparelli Basin on Mars. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-397, 20 June 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows large, relatively bright ripples of windblown sediment in the Sinus Sabaeus region south of Schiaparelli Basin. The surrounding substrate is thickly mantled by very dark material, possibly windblown silt that settled out of the atmosphere. The picture is located near 7.1°S, 343.7°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the left. | |
This image acquired on January 27, 2019 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, reveals small-scale shapes that often correlate with mineral units and provides information about stratigraphy. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionHiRISE reveals small-scale shapes that often correlate with mineral units and provides information about stratigraphy (i.e., what's on top and relative ages). This image was acquired for co-analysis with a spectrometer instrument also on our spacecraft called CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars). It shows polygonal units that match clay-rich areas. Plus, this region is colorful!This location, in Eridania Basin, was the site of an ancient lake, so these clay-rich sediments may have been habitable. While CRISM cannot acquire new data from their infrared channel due to lack of cooling, they have acquired much previous data that lacks HiRISE coverage.The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 51.2 centimeters [20.2 inches] per pixel [with 2 x 2 binning]; objects on the order of 154 centimeters [60.6 inches] across are resolved.) North is up.The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the region surrounding Indus Vallis on Mars. | Context image for PIA09990Indus VallisThe major Martian dust storm of 2007 filled the sky with dust and produced conditions that prevented the THEMIS VIS camera from being able to image the surface. With no new images being acquired, we've dug into the archive to highlight some interesting areas on Mars. The this week's topic is medium sized channels. The entire region surrounding Indus Vallis has undergone extensive erosion. The deepest part of the channel is still identifiable, but it is impossible to tell if the wider bounding walls represent a terraced portion of the original channel or just easily eroded materials.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 19.0N, Longitude 38.7E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows the surface on the western margin of Zephyria Planum. Zephyria Planum is located south of Elysium Planitia. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows the surface on the western margin of Zephyria Planum. Zephyria Planum is located south of Elysium Planitia. Long term winds have eroded the surface in this region. Features align with wind direction, and the multiple ridge orientations in this image indicate varying wind directions over time.Orbit Number: 80955 Latitude: -4.15683 Longitude: 154.144 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-03-15 03:38Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Opportunity at Crater's 'Cape Verde' | Annotated ImageThis image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity near the rim of "Victoria Crater." Victoria is an impact crater about 800 meters (half a mile) in diameter at Meridiani Planum near the equator of Mars. Opportunity has been operating on Mars since January, 2004. Five days before this image was taken, Opportunity arrived at the rim of Victoria, after a drive of more than 9 kilometers (over 5 miles). It then drove to the position where it is seen in this image. Shown in the image are "Duck Bay," the eroded segment of the crater rim where Opportunity first arrived at the crater; "Cabo Frio," a sharp promontory to the south of Duck Bay; and "Cape Verde," another promontory to the north. When viewed at the highest resolution, this image shows the rover itself, wheel tracks in the soil behind it, and the rover's shadow, including the shadow of the camera mast. After this image was taken, Opportunity moved to the very tip of Cape Verde to perform more imaging of the interior of the crater. This view is a portion of an image taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on Oct. 3, 2006. The complete image is centered at minus7.8 degrees latitude, 279.5 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 297 kilometers (185.6 miles). At this distance the image scale is 29.7 centimeters (12 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects about 89 centimeters (35 inches) across are resolved. North is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:30 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 59.7 degrees, thus the sun was about 30.3 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 113.6 degrees, the season on Mars is northern summer.This is an enhanced-color view generated from images acquired by theHiRISE camera using its red filter and blue-green filter.Images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment and additional information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are available online at: http://www.nasa.gov/mro or http://HiRISE.lpl.arizona.edu.For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, http://www.nasa.gov.JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona. | |
This enhanced-color close-up of a rock target called Cine was captured by the SuperCam instrument aboard NASA's Perseverance Mars rover on September 17, 2021. | Figure 1This enhanced-color close-up of a rock target called "Cine" was captured by the SuperCam instrument aboard NASA's Perseverance Mars rover on Sept. 17, 2021, the 206th Martian day, or sol, of rover's mission. SuperCam_x0092_s Remote Microscopic Imager took two images that were later combined to form this close-up. The target is 92 inches (2 meters) away, seen from the rover's mast.A more zoomed-in image is available in Figure 1.The image shows a rock layer made up of tightly packed millimeter-size gray, angular grains, or crystals. The image on the right shows a detail of the grain/crystal texture. The composition of this rock target was investigated with SuperCam's laser and spectrometer, along with the Mastcam-Z camera. Using these instruments, scientists can study the chemical composition of rocks from a distance. Analysis of "Cine" showed that it is rich in the mineral olivine. After the image was taken, the mission_x0092_s science team debated whether the rock is igneous (volcanic) or consists of fine sedimentary grains of igneous material that were cemented together in a watery environment.SuperCam is led by Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, where the instrument's body unit was developed. That part of the instrument includes several spectrometers as well as control electronics and software. The mast unit, including the Remote Microscopic Imager used for these images, was developed and built by several laboratories of the CNRS (the French research center) and French universities under the contracting authority of Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), the French space agency.A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.For more about Perseverance:https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020nasa.gov/perseverance | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows just one example of the bright and dark markings that appear during summer time. The marks are related to the polar layers on Mars. | Context image for PIA03581Polar LayersThis image shows just one example of the bright and dark markings that appear during summer time. The marks are related to the polar layers. If you happen to see a wild-eyed guy sticking his tongue out at you, you'll know why this image qualifies for the old "art" category of THEMIS releases.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 80.6S, Longitude 34.1E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This is a portion of the first color 360-degree panorama from NASA's Curiosity showing the rover's a mountain at the center of Gale Crater called Mount Sharp, can be seen in the distance, to the left, beginning to rise up. | This is a portion of the first color 360-degree panorama from NASA's Curiosity rover, made up of thumbnails, which are small copies of higher-resolution images. The mission's destination, a mountain at the center of Gale Crater called Mount Sharp, can be seen in the distance, to the left, beginning to rise up. The mountain's summit will be imaged later. The full thumbnail panorama from the Mast Camera can be seen at PIA16029. Blast marks from the rover's descent stage are in the foreground.
JPL manages the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology
in Pasadena.
For more about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl, http://www.nasa.gov/mars, and
http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
This image taken on March 13, 2009 by the front hazard-avoidance camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rover's arm extended to examine the composition of a rock using the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. | This image taken by the front hazard-avoidance camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rover's arm extended to examine the composition of a rock using the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer.Opportunity took this image during the 1,826th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's Mars-surface mission (March 13, 2009). The spectrometer is at a target called "Penrhyn," on a rock called "Cook Islands." As Opportunity makes its way on a long journey from Victoria Crater toward Endeavour Crater, the team is stopping the drive occasionally on the route to check whether the rover finds a trend in the composition of rock exposures. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows linear channels, part of Vedra Valles. | Context imageThe linear channels in this VIS image are part of Vedra Valles. This valley system is part of a large group of channels that dissect the eastern margin of Lunae Planum, emptying into Chryse Planitia. The multiple channels of Vedra Valles are much smaller than the other nearby channel systems: Maja, Maumee, and Bahram Valles. Vedra Valles is 115km long (71 miles).Orbit Number: 88125 Latitude: 19.2783 Longitude: 304.822 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-10-26 12:30Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows sand avalanches in Meroe Patera. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionOne of the major extended-mission objectives for HiRISE has been to re-image parts of the surface to look for changes. Such observations can tell us what processes are active today. This image was acquired as part of a series to look for sand movement in Meroe Patera, not far from the active sand dunes of Nili Patera.Our image shows that sand dunes are missing downwind (to the left) of a crater near the center of the observation, because sand falls into the crater and is trapped. Zooming in on the sand-coated crater wall and comparing it with older images revealed a surprise: several major sand flows slumped down into the crater (towards the upper left), leaving small ridges (called "levees") along their path and rounded piles of sand at the end.What caused these slumps? Dry ice, which is thought to cause flows in some gullies and the North polar dunes, does not occur this close to the equator. There is no sign of recurring slope lineae, the leading candidates for liquid on the Martian surface. Instead, it is most likely that these were dry flows. They are far larger than the avalanches commonly seen on sand dunes, typified by the shorter light streaks visible in the lower left part of the "after" image, so they might have been triggered by a Mars-quake or an unusually strong wind. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a small portion of the immense lava flows that originated from Arsia Mons. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a small portion of the immense lava flows that originated from Arsia Mons. Arsia Mons is the southernmost of the three large aligned volcanoes in the Tharsis region. Arsia Mons' last eruption was 10s of million years ago. The different surface textures are created by differences in the lava viscosity and cooling rates. The lobate margins of each flow can be traced back to the start of each flow -- or to the point where they are covered by younger flows. Flows in Daedalia Planum can be as long as 180 km.Orbit Number: 81913 Latitude: -22.2957 Longitude: 239.093 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-06-02 00:40Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle at the 'Quela' drilling location in the 'Murray Buttes' area on lower Mount Sharp. | This self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle at the "Quela" drilling location in the "Murray Buttes" area on lower Mount Sharp.Key features on the skyline of this panorama are the dark mesa called "M12" to the left of the rover's mast and pale, upper Mount Sharp to the right of the mast. The top of M12 stands about 23 feet (7 meters) above the base of the sloping piles of rocks just behind Curiosity.The scene combines approximately 60 images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera at the end of the rover's robotic arm. Most of the component images were taken on Sept. 17, 2016, during the 1,463rd Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. Two component images of the drill-hole area in front of the rover were taken on Sol 1466 (Sept. 20) to show the hole created by collecting a drilled sample at Quela on Sol 1464 (Sept. 18).The skyline sweeps from west on the left to south-southwest on the right, with the rover's mast at northeast. The rover's location when it recorded this scene was where it ended a drive on Sol 1455, mapped at http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/images/?ImageID=8029. The view does not include the rover's arm nor the MAHLI camera itself, except in the miniature scene reflected upside down in the parabolic mirror at the top of the mast. That mirror is part of Curiosity's Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument. MAHLI appears in the center of the mirror.Wrist motions and turret rotations on the arm allowed MAHLI to acquire the mosaic's component images. The arm was positioned out of the shot in the images, or portions of images, that were used in this mosaic. This process was used previously in acquiring and assembling Curiosity self-portraits taken at other sample-collection sites, including "Rocknest" (PIA16468), "Windjana" (PIA18390"), "Buckskin" (PIA19808) and "Gobabeb" (PIA20316).For scale, the rover's wheels are 20 inches (50 centimeters) in diameter and about 16 inches (40 centimeters) wide. MAHLI was built by and is operated by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.For more information about Curiosity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. Photojournal Note: Also available is the full resolution TIFF file PIA20844_full.tif. This file may be too large to view from a browser; it can be downloaded onto your desktop by right-clicking on the previous link and viewed with image viewing software. | |
This enhanced-color image NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rock dubbed 'Mazatzal' after a portion of its surface was brushed clean by the rover's rock abrasion tool. The reddish material on the left is the original dust coating. | This enhanced-color image taken by the microscopic imager on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on sol 79 shows the rock dubbed "Mazatzal" after a portion of its surface was brushed clean by the rover's rock abrasion tool. The reddish material on the left side of the image is the original dust coating. The darker, grayer surface on the right side was exposed after brushing. The crack in the rock may have once contained fluids from which minerals precipitated along its walls. The color in this image was created by combining pictures taken with the microscopic imager's orange-tinted dust cover in both its open and closed positions. | |
Hrad Valles, seen in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, is located north-northwest of the large Elysium Mons volcanic complex and is yet another example of a channel that likely carried fluids. | (Released 15 July 2002)Hrad Valles is located north-northwest of the large Elysium Mons volcanic complex and is yet another example of a channel that likely carried fluids. The formation of Hrad Valles may have differed from some other channels on Mars in that its proximity to Elysium Mons could have promoted significant interactions between ground water or ice and the lavas of the volcano. Some scientists have suggested that very hot subsurface lavas may have intruded the local rocks and quickly melted and vaporized ground ice, causing the overlying rock to be broken up and possibly ejected. The breakup and ejection of the local rocks, combined with the newly formed volcanic rocks and melted ice, could have resulted in the formation of mudflows at the source of Hrad Valles, and over the longer term, continued release of melt water that carved the long, sinuous channel. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the central part of Ius Chasma, where the canyon profile changes. What started as a large graben south of the main chasma wall has widened to create a central high ridge separating the chasm. | Context image Moving into the central part of Ius Chasma, the canyon profile changes. What started as a large graben south of the main chasma wall, has widened to create a central high ridge separating the chasm into two parallel sections. This interior ridge is called Geryon Montes. The northern canyon wall is at the top of the image, including several tongue shaped landslide deposits. The floor has been covered in deposits that may include landslide material and later materials such as air fall particles like dust and water lain layered deposits. The Geryon Montes are in the lower 1/3 of the image. Just to the top of the Montes are materials with different "colors". These are part of the layered materials inside the canyon. At the very bottom of the image a highly eroded landslide deposit exists. The materials on this side of Geryon Montes are at a higher elevation than the floor on the opposite side. The unusual texture of the canyon floor also points to layered materials that may have been laid down in standing water.A landslide is a failure of slope due to gravity. They initiate due to several reasons. A lower layer of poorly cemented/resistant material may have been eroded, undermining the wall above which then collapses; earth quake seismic waves can cause the slope to collapse; and even an impact event near the canyon wall can cause collapse. As millions of tons of material fall and slide down slope a scalloped cavity forms at the upper part where the slope failure occurred. At the material speeds downhill it will pick up more of the underlying slope, increasing the volume of material entrained into the landslide. Whereas some landslides spread across the canyon floor forming lobate deposits, very large volume slope failures will completely fill the canyon floor in a large complex region of chaotic blocks.Ius Chasma is at the western end of Valles Marineris, south of Tithonium Chasma. Valles Marineris is over 4000 kilometers long, wider than the United States. Ius Chasma is almost 850 kilometers long (528 miles), 120 kilometers wide and over 8 kilometers deep. In comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is about 175 kilometers long, 30 kilometers wide, and only 2 kilometers deep. The canyons of Valles Marineris were formed by extensive fracturing and pulling apart of the crust during the uplift of the vast Tharsis plateau. Landslides have enlarged the canyon walls and created deposits on the canyon floor. Weathering of the surface and influx of dust and sand have modified the canyon floor, both creating and modifying layered materials. There are many features that indicate flowing and standing water played a part in the chasma formation.The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images!Orbit Number: 26151 Latitude: -7.12079 Longitude: 275.703 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2007-11-06 12:17Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reveals subsurface ice in a crater formed in 2008. The impact that dug the crater excavated water ice from beneath the surface. | This 6-meter-wide (20-foot-wide) crater in mid-latitude northern Mars was created by an impact that occurred between Jan. 22, 2008, and Sept. 15, 2008, as bracketed by before-and-after images not shown here. The images shown here were taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on Oct. 29, 2008, (left) and on Jan. 4, 2009. Each image is 35 meters (115 feet) across. The crater's depth is estimated at 1.76 meters (5.8 feet).The impact that dug the crater excavated water ice from beneath the surface. It is the bright material visible in this pair of images. A change in appearance from the earlier image to the later one resulted from some of the ice sublimating away during the northern-hemisphere summer, leaving behind dust that had been intermixed with the ice. The thickening layer of dust on top obscured some of the remaining ice. This crater is at 45.05 degrees north latitude, 164.71 degrees east longitude.These images are subframes of full-frame images that are available online at at http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/PSP_010585_2255 and http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_011442_2255. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the part of the crater rim and ejecta surrounding Lonar Crater in the northern plains of Vastitas Borealis. | Context image This VIS image shows the part of the crater rim and ejecta surrounding Lonar Crater in the northern plains of Vastitas Borealis. There is a fine scale, radial grooved outer layer of ejecta covered by lobate ejecta nearer the crater rim. The ends of the lobes are taller than the material just inside the end of the lobe. Often called rampart ejecta, this morphology can be caused by impact into a surface that includes volatiles such as sub-surface water or ice.Orbit Number: 71327 Latitude: 73.428 Longitude: 38.7539 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-01-12 05:31Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows small, dark dunes located on the floor of Hellas Basin on Mars. | Context image for PIA10259Hellas DunesThese small, dark dunes are located on the floor of Hellas Basin.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -41.6N, Longitude 77.5E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The small greenish features in this false-color image from NASA's Mars Odyssey are sand dunes on Mars. The white feature is likely an ice cloud. Ice/frost will appear as bright blue in color; dust mantled ice will appear in tones of red/orange. | The theme for the weeks of 1/17 and 1/24 is the north polar region of Mars as seen in false color THEMIS images. Ice/frost will typically appear as bright blue in color; dust mantled ice will appear in tones of red/orange. The small greenish features in this image are sand dunes. The white feature on the right side is likely an ice cloud.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 84.6, Longitude 203.1 East (156.9 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Five prominent features on the horizon show the location of NASA's Mars Pathfinder North Knob, Southeast Knob, Far Knob, Twin Peaks, and Big Crater, seen in this mosaic of NASA's Viking orbiter in 1997. | Mosaic of Viking orbiter images illustrating the location of the lander (19.17 degrees N, 33.21 degrees W in the USGS reference frame) with respect to surface features. Five prominent features on the horizon include North Knob, Southeast Knob, Far Knob, Twin Peaks, and Big Crater. Two small craters visible in the orbiter and lander views--Little Crater and Rimshot Crater--lie on the northwest outer flank of the rim of Big Crater. Because the lander is on the southeast-facing flank of a low ridge, very distant features to the south and east are in view, whereas relatively nearby features to the north are partially or completely obscured. Only the tip of North Knob, which appears larger in the Viking orbiter images than the Twin Peaks, projects above the local horizon, and a 300-m crater, 1.2 km to the northeast, is completely obscured. Viking stereo images 004A27 and 004A87 and 004A44 and 004A70. North is up; scale bar, 5 km. (Insets) (Upper right) Lander location. (Upper left) North Knob from lander. (Lower left) Far Knob from lander. (Lower right) Southeast Knob from lander. The location of the lander in inertial space (19.30 degrees N, 33.52degrees W) from the two-way ranging and Doppler tracking of the lander is coincident with Rimshot Crater.NOTE: original caption as published in Science magazine.
Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998. | |
This observation from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows what is called a 'scalloped terrain,' that appears here to merge in a linear depression. | This observation shows what we call "scalloped terrain," that appears here to merge in a linear depression.How do these scallops form? Possibly from the collapse of the terrain due to sublimation (when a solid transforms directly into a gaseous state) of subsurface ice. There is also a large number of rocks on the surface.HiRISE resolution can help us examine the surface much more closely to see if there are any differences between the surrounding plains and the floor of these scalloped depressions.HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the orbiter's HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured an impact crater that triggered a slope streak. When the meteoroid hit the surface and exploded to make the crater, it also destabilized the slope and initiated this avalanche. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionThis HiRISE image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captures a new, dated (within about a decade) impact crater that triggered a slope streak. When the meteoroid hit the surface and exploded to make the crater, it also destabilized the slope and initiated this avalanche.The crater itself is only 5 meters across, but the streak it started is 1 kilometer long! Slope streaks are created when dry dust avalanches leave behind dark swaths on dusty Martian hills. The faded scar of an old avalanche is also visible to the side of the new dark streak. The map is projected above at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 27.7 centimeters (10.9 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning); objects on the order of 55.4 centimeters (21.8 inches) per pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) across are resolved.] North is up.The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has detected dozens of whirlwinds, or vortex events, causing brief dips in atmospheric pressure, and sometimes other measurable effects. | The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has detected dozens of whirlwinds, or vortex events, causing brief dips in atmospheric pressure, and sometimes other measurable effects. The upper left graph of this set shows the pressure dip of one vortex detected by REMS. The time on the horizontal axis is marked as the number of seconds before or after the event. Pressure is indicated in pascals. The lower left graph shows a corresponding dip in the amount of ultraviolet light measured by REMS, which could be caused by dust rushing by. This indicator has been rare among the vortices detected by REMS, and Curiosity's Gale Crater study area does not display the tracks of dust-lifting whirlwinds, which are common in other parts of Mars (for example at PIA09610). It may be that whirlwinds usually occur at Gale without lifting much dust. The lower right chart shows a brief disruption in wind sensed by REMS in the seconds before and after a pressure-dip event.The upper right chart provides comparisons of pressure dips measured by Curiosity (during the first 100 sols of its mission), by the Mars Pathfinder lander in 1997 and by the Phoenix Mars Lander in 2008. Although the three missions landed in different regions of Mars, they observed pressure dips of similar magnitude.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the rover. More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. |
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