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The small, dark sand dunes at the bottom of this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are located on the floor of Escalante Crater. | Context imageThe small, dark sand dunes at the bottom of this VIS image are located on the floor of Escalante Crater.Orbit Number: 52652 Latitude: -0.014852 Longitude: 115.525 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-10-27 07:39Please 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 yellow line on this map shows where NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity has driven from the place where it landed in January 2004, inside Eagle crater, at the upper left end of the track, to a point approaching the rim of Endeavour crater. | The yellow line on this map shows where NASA's Mars Rover Opportunity has driven from the place where it landed in January 2004 -- inside Eagle crater, at the upper left end of the track -- to a point approaching the rim of Endeavour crater. The map traces the route through the 2,670th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity's work on Mars (July 29, 2011).Endeavour crater has been the rover team's destination for Opportunity since the rover finished exploring Victoria crater in August 2008. Endeavour, with a diameter of about 14 miles (22 kilometers), offers access to older geological deposits than any Opportunity has seen before.In honor of Opportunity's rover twin, the team has chosen "Spirit Point" as the informal name for the site on Endeavour's rim targeted for Opportunity's arrival at Endeavour. Spirit Point is the southern edge of a ridge called "Cape York." Farther south on the rim, a ridge called "Cape Tribulation" offers exposures identified from orbit as clay minerals.The base map is a mosaic of images from the Context Camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. It is used by rover team member Larry Crumpler of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque, for showing the regional context of Opportunity's traverse.Opportunity and Spirit completed their three-month prime missions in April 2004 and continued operations in bonus extended missions. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reached Mars in 2006, completed its prime mission in 2010, and is also working in an extended mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates the orbiter's Context Camera. | |
Many valleys occur all over Mars that reveal an extensive ancient history of liquid water erosion. This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a complex valley network near Idaeus Fossae. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionMany valleys occur all over Mars that reveal an extensive ancient history of liquid water erosion. While these valley systems are typically now covered with fine soils and sand dunes, the overall scale and shape of the valleys reveals much about the ancient climate.The speed, volume, and extent of the flowing water can be apparent from how it interacts with obstacles. For example, large volumes of rapidly flowing water may overtop obstacles rather than be diverted around them. Or, a small stream flowing for an extend period may gradually cut downward through hard rock obstacles.In this case, the valleys cut through a small, kilometer size impact crater. As it did so, the flow appears to have divided it into as many as three streams and then coalesced as it exited the other side. 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 360-degree mosaic of images from the navigation camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the view from the western rim of 'Santa Maria' crater. South is at the center, north at both ends. | This 360-degree mosaic of images from the navigation camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the view from the western rim of "Santa Maria" crater on the 2,454th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity's work on Mars (Dec. 19, 2010). South is at the center, north at both ends.The crater is about 90 meters (295 feet) in diameter. This view is presented as a cylindrical projection.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This left-eye mosaic was created from images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired May 8, 2004.The rover was on its way to the 'Columbia Hills,' which can be seen on the horizon. | This left eye of a stereo pair of views in a cylindrical-perspective projection was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 124 (May 9, 2004). It reveals Spirit's view as it gets closer to the "Columbia Hills."See PIA05901 for 3-D view and PIA05903 for right eye view of this left eye cylindrical-perspective projection. | |
Spirit 360-Degree View, Sol 388 | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to take the images combined into this 360-degree view of the rover's surroundings on Spirit's 388th martian day, or sol (Feb. 4, 2005). Spirit had driven about 13 meters (43 feet) uphill toward "Cumberland Ridge" on this sol. This location is catalogued as Spirit's Site 102, Position 513. The view is presented in a cylindrical projection with geometric and brightness seam correction. | |
Lava flows of Daedalia Planum can be seen at the top and bottom portions of this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The ridge and linear depression in the central part of the image are part of Mangala Fossa, a fault bounded graben. | Context imageLava flows of Daedalia Planum can be seen at the top and bottom portions of this VIS image. The ridge and linear depression in the central part of the image are part of Mangala Fossa, a fault bounded graben.Orbit Number: 56476 Latitude: -15.1511 Longitude: 219.447 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-09-06 23:36Please 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 Exploration Rover Opportunity combined images into this full-circle view of the rover's surroundings. Tracks from the rover's drive recede northward across dark-toned sand ripples in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars. You need 3D glasses. | Left-eye view of a color stereo pair for PIA11816Right-eye view of a color stereo pair for PIA11816NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera to take the images combined into this stereo, full-circle view of the rover's surroundings just after driving 60.86 meters (200 feet) on the 1,806th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity's surface mission (Feb. 21, 2009). North is at the center; south at both ends.This view combines images from the left-eye and right-eye sides of the navigation camera. It appears three-dimensional when viewed through red-blue glasses with the red lens on the left. Tracks from the drive extend northward across dark-toned sand ripples and light-toned patches of exposed bedrock in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars. For scale, the distance between the parallel wheel tracks is about 1 meter (about 40 inches).Engineers designed the Sol 1806 drive to be driven backwards as a strategy to redistribute lubricant in the rovers wheels. The right-front wheel had been showing signs of increased friction.The rover's position after the Sol 1806 drive was about 2 kilometer (1.2 miles) south southwest of Victoria Crater. Cumulative odometry was 14.74 kilometers (9.16 miles) since landing in January 2004, including 2.96 kilometers (1.84 miles) since climbing out of Victoria Crater on the west side of the crater on Sol 1634 (August 28, 2008). This view is presented as a cylindrical-perspective projection with geometric seam correction. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-513, 14 October 2003Patterns are common on the northern plains of Mars. Like their terrestrial counterparts in places like Siberia, Alaska, and northern Canada, patterned ground on Mars might be an indicator of the presence of ground ice. Whether it is true that the patterns on Mars are related to ground ice and whether the ice is still present beneath the martian surface are unknown. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture shows an example of patterned ground on the martian northern plains near 72.4°N, 252.6°W. The dark dots and lines are low mounds and chains of mounds. The circular feature near the center of the image is the location of a buried meteor impact crater; its presence today is marked only by the dark boulders on its rim and ejecta blanket that have managed to remain uncovered at the martian surface. The area shown is 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and illuminated by sunlight from the lower left. | |
The small dark dunes in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are located on the floor of Holden Crater. | Context imageThe small dark dunes in this VIS image are located on the floor of Holden Crater.Orbit Number: 48762 Latitude: -25.1506 Longitude: 326.44 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-12-11 03:12Please 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 small section of Uzboi Vallis. This valley system arises just north of Argyre Planitia and flows northward into Holden Crater. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a small section of Uzboi Vallis. This valley system arises just north of Argyre Planitia and flows northward into Holden Crater.Orbit Number: 81698 Latitude: -31.0656 Longitude: 322.924 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-05-15 07:45Please 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 Sojourner excavations brought materials to the surface for examination and allowed estimates of the mechanical properties of the deposits. This image is of a 7 cm wide excavation through the veneer of a drift. Sol 1 began on July 4, 1997. | Sojourner's excavations brought materials to the surface for examination and allowed estimates of the mechanical properties of the deposits.This image is of a 7 cm wide excavation through the veneer of a drift. The platy fragment or piece of crust (upper right) was displaced by the rover wheel.NOTE: original caption as published in Science magazineMars 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 a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
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. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows 'Laguna Hollow,' the shallow depression where Spirit dug a trench in 2004. Spirit stayed in this location for 3 sols, investigating the fine-grained soil and the trench it dug with one of its wheels. | This image shows the path the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has traveled since it landed 53 martian days, or sols, ago. "Laguna Hollow," the shallow depression where Spirit dug a trench, can be seen to the right of center. Spirit stayed at "Laguna Hollow" for 3 sols, investigating the fine-grained soil contained there and the trench it dug with one of its wheels. The rover is headed northeast toward a large crater nicknamed "Bonneville." This navigation camera image mosaic was taken from the rover's new location, a region dubbed "Middle Ground" located 98 meters (322 feet) away from "Bonneville." | |
Newly-Formed Slope Streaks | Click on image for larger versionHiRISE image (PSP_002396_1900) features three newly-formed slope streaks. These are features which occur on crater walls, hills, and other slopes on Mars.They always begin at a point source and widen downslope, sometimes weaving around existing topographic features (such as dunes or craters), but other times they flow over them. Many slope streaks do not show topographic relief in available images, and there are no observable deposits of displaced materials surrounding their borders.In general, slope streaks tend to be many hundreds of meters long and less than 200 meters wide. They are observed in varying shades of darkness, where lighter-toned streaks appear to be older than darker ones. The formation mechanism responsible for slope streaks is still under debate; theories range from dry dust avalanches (most widely-accepted theory) to briney water seepage.Slope streak formation is among the few surface processes known to be currently active on Mars, making slope streaks some of the youngest features on Mars. A comparison of this HiRISE image with the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image E04-01817 shows that three new slope streaks have formed during the six years separating these images (2001-2007). The shortest time frame in which new slope streaks have been observed to form is six months (MOC images SP2-37303 and E02-02379), though it is not yet known how long it actually takes for a slope streak to form.MOC image E04-01817 courtesy of NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems.Observation ToolboxAcquisition date: 1 January 2007Local Mars time: 3:40 PMDegrees latitude (centered): 10.1°Degrees longitude (East): 193.2°Range to target site: 278.7 km (174.2 miles) Original image scale range: 55.8 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~167 cm across are resolvedMap-projected scale: 50 cm/pixel and north is upMap-projection: EQUIRECTANGULAREmission angle: 3.7°Phase angle: 51.7°Solar incidence angle: 55°, with the Sun about 35° above the horizonSolar longitude: 175.2°, Northern SummerNASA'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. | |
Observations by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have detected carbon-dioxide snow clouds on Mars and evidence of carbon-dioxide snow falling to the surface. | Observations by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have detected carbon-dioxide snow clouds on Mars and evidence of carbon-dioxide snow falling to the surface.Deposits of small particles of carbon-dioxide ice are formed by snowfall from carbon-dioxide clouds. This map shows the distribution of small-grain carbon-dioxide ice deposits formed by snowfall over the south polar cap of Mars. It is based on infrared measurements by the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, provided the Mars Climate Sounder instrument and manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor took this image of a low, rounded hill in southeastern Utopia Planitia on September 2, 1998. | The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) was designed specifically to provide images of Mars that have a resolution comparable to the aerial photographs commonly used by Earth scientists to study geological processes and map landforms on our home planet. When MGS reaches its Mapping Orbit in March 1999, MOC will be able to obtain pictures with spatial resolutions of 1.5 meters (5 feet) per pixel--this good enough to easily see objects the size of an automobile.Boulders are one of the keys to determining which processes have eroded, transported, and deposited material on Mars (e.g.,landslides, mud flows, flood debris). During the first year in orbit,MGS MOC obtained pictures with resolutions between 2 and 30 meters (7to 98 feet) per pixel. It was found that boulders are difficult to identify on Mars in images with resolutions worse than about 2-3 meters per pixel. Although not known when the MOC was designed,"thresholds" like this are found on Earth, too. The MOC's 1.5 m/pixel resolution was a compromise between (1) the anticipation of such resolution-dependent sensitivity based on our experience with Earth and (2) the cost in terms of mass if we had built a larger telescope to get a higher resolution.Some rather larger boulders (i.e., larger than about 10 meters--or yards--in size) have already been seen on Mars by the orbiting camera. This is a feat similar to that which can be obtained by "spy" satellites on Earth. The MOC image 53104 subframe shown above features a low, rounded hill in southeastern Utopia Planitia. Each of the small, lumpy features on the top of this hill is a boulder. In this picture, boulders are not seen on the surrounding plain. These boulders are interpreted to be the remnants of a layer of harder rock that once covered the top of the hill, but was subsequently eroded and broken up by weathering and wind processes.MOC image 53104 was taken on September 2, 1998. The subframe shows an area 2.2 km by 3.3 km (1.4 miles by 2.7 miles). The image has a resolution of about 3.25 meters (10.7 feet) per pixel. The subframe is centered at 41.0°N latitude and 207.3°W longitude. (CLICK HERE for a context image). North is approximately up, illumination is from the left.Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO. | |
This cylindrical-projection mosaic was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 101 (April 15, 2004). It reveals Spirit's view just before a stopping-point dubbed 'Missoula Crater.' | This cylindrical-projection mosaic was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 101 (April 15, 2004). It reveals Spirit's view just before a stopping-point dubbed "Missoula Crater." The rover is on its way to the "Columbia Hills." | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the floor of Kaiser Crater. Kaiser Crater is located in Noachis Terra west of Hellas 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. This false color image shows part of the floor of Kaiser Crater. Kaiser Crater is 207 km (129 miles) in diameter and is located in Noachis Terra west of Hellas Planitia. This sand dune field is one of several regions of sand dunes located in the southern part of the crater floor.With enough wind and sand, sand dunes are formed. Dune morphology typically has a shallow slope on the side the wind is blowing from and a steep face on the other side. The lighter part of the dunes in this image are the steep slopes. Wind blows sand particles up the shallow slope and then the particles 'fall' off the crest of the dune down the steep side. With time, the constant wind will move the crest of the dune forward. Depending on the amount of available sand, dunes can grow to large heights and sizes. The dunes in this image are moving west – towards the left side of the image. Dark blue in this false color combination are typically basaltic sand.The THEMIS VIS camera is capable of capturing color images of the Martian surface using five different color filters. In this mode of operation, the spatial resolution and coverage of the image must be reduced to accommodate the additional data volume produced from using multiple filters. To make a color image, three of the five filter images (each in grayscale) are selected. Each is contrast enhanced and then converted to a red, green, or blue intensity image. These three images are then combined to produce a full color, single image. Because the THEMIS color filters don't span the full range of colors seen by the human eye, a color THEMIS image does not represent true color. Also, because each single-filter image is contrast enhanced before inclusion in the three-color image, the apparent color variation of the scene is exaggerated. Nevertheless, the color variation that does appear is representative of some change in color, however subtle, in the actual scene. Note that the long edges of THEMIS color images typically contain color artifacts that do not represent surface variation.Orbit Number: 84872 Latitude: -47.0102 Longitude: 20.0034 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-01-31 15:23Please 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 360-degree panorama shows the 'Marias Pass' area, at center, and part of the slope that NASA's Curiosity Mars rover climbed to get there, at right. | This 360-degree panorama shows the "Marias Pass" area, at center, and part of the slope that NASA's Curiosity Mars rover climbed to get there, at right. The scene combines multiple images taken by Curiosity's Navigation Camera (Navcam) on May 22, 2105, during the 992nd Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars. North is at both ends; south is in the middle. On the previous sol, Curiosity reached this location by climbing a slope with steepness of up to 20 degrees. From this location, the rover's Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument examined a rock target called "Elk" and found its composition to be about 80 percent silica.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Curiosity project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL built the rover and Navcam. For more information about the Mars Science Laboratory mission and the mission's Curiosity rover, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a sample of the variety and complexity of processes that may occur on the walls of Martian craters, well after the impact crater formed. | This image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a sample of the variety and complexity of processes that may occur on the walls of Martian craters, well after the impact crater formed.At the very top of the image is the high crater rim. At the bottom of the image is the crater's central peak, a dome of material rising above the surrounding crater floor. The central peak was uplifted during the impact event.Reaching down the walls of the crater are winding and crooked troughs, or gullies. Some of these gullies may have formed with the help of liquid water, melted from ice or snowpack on the crater walls or from groundwater within the walls. Also notable is the long tongue-like lobe stretching down the middle of the image, with a darker, rounded snout and prominent parallel grooves on its surface. These characteristics, together with faint cracks on its surface, suggest that this lobe may have formed by movement of ice-rich material from up on the crater wall down to the crater floor.Because surface features on this lobe and on most of the gullies do not appear sharp and pristine, and because wind-blown dunes have blown up on the front snout of the lobe, and because there are several small craters on the lobe's surface, the movements of ice-rich material and possibly water have probably not occurred very recently.This image covers a swath of ground about 6 kilometers (4 miles) wide, centered at 32.4 degrees south latitude, 103.2 degrees east longitude. It is one product from HiRISE observation ESP_013726_1475, made on July 1, 2009. Other image products from this observation are available at http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_013726_1475. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
This full-circle, false color view from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the terrain surrounding the location called 'Troy,' where Spirit became embedded in soft soil during the spring of 2009. | This full-circle view from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the terrain surrounding the location called "Troy," where Spirit became embedded in soft soil during the spring of 2009. The hundreds of images combined into this view were taken beginning on the 1,906th Martian day (or sol) of Spirit's mission on Mars (May 14, 2009) and ending on Sol 1943 (June 20, 2009).North is at the center; south at both ends. The western edge of the low plateau called Home Plate dominates the right half of the panorama. At the far right is a bright-topped mound called "Von Braun," a possible future destination for Spirit's exploration. Near the center of the panorama, in the distance, lies Husband Hill, where Spirit recorded views from the summit in 2005. The ridge on the left, near the rover tracks leading to Troy from the north, is called "Tsiolkovsky." For scale, the parallel tracks are about 1 meter (39 inches) apart. The track on the right is more evident because Spirit was driving backwards, dragging its right-front wheel, which no longer rotates.The bright soil in the center foreground is soft material in which Spirit became embedded after the wheels on that side cut through a darker top layer. The composition of different layers in the soil at the site became the subject of intense investigation by tools on Spirit's robotic arm.The Pancam team named this scene the camera's Calypso Panorama. This version is a false-color, red-green-blue composite panorama generated from images taken through the Pancam's 750-nanometer, 530-nanometer and 430-nanometer filters. The false color enhances visibility of differences among the types of rock and soil material in the image.Spirit has been investigating a region within Mars' Gusev Crater for more than 67 months in what was originally planned as a three-month mission. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows linear depressions, part of Nili Fossae. | 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. The linear depressions in today's false color image are part of Nili Fossae. Nili Fossae is a collection of curved faults and down-dropped blocks of crust between the faults. The "fossae," or graben, lie northeast of the large volcano Syrtis Major and northwest of the ancient impact basin Isidis Planitia. The troughs, which can be almost 500 meters (1,600 feet) deep , make concentric curves that follow the outline of Isidis Planitia. The graben likely formed as the crust sagged under the weight of lava flows filling the Isidis Planitia impact basin.Orbit Number: 80970 Latitude: 22.458 Longitude: 77.8039 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-03-16 09:25Please 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 acquired on January 19, 2019 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows what appears to be a new impact cluster and, extending downhill from the craters, new dark slope streaks. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionHiRISE has been imaging new dark features discovered by MRO's Context Camera, which are mostly new impact sites. In this scene we see what appears to be a new impact cluster and, extending downhill from the craters, new dark slope streaks.These slope streaks are formed by dry dust avalanches. We've also seen large new dust avalanches associated with new impacts at previous locations.The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 28.9 centimeters [11.4 inches] per pixel [with 1 x 1 binning]; objects on the order of 87 centimeters [34.3 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 part of Managala Vallis on Mars, including a streamlined island. The narrow tail of the island points downstream. | Context image for PIA09310Mangala VallisThis image shows part of Managala Vallis, including a streamlined island. The narrow tail of the island points downstream.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -15.4N, Longitude 209.9E. 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 is a mosaic of day and night infrared images of Melas Chasma taken by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The daytime temperatures range from approximately -35 degrees Celsius (-31 degrees Fahrenheit) to -5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit). | This image is a mosaic of day and night infrared images of Melas Chasma taken by the camera system on NASA.s Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The daytime temperature images are shown in black and white, superimposed on the martian topography. A single nighttime temperature image is superimposed in color. The daytime temperatures range from approximately -35 degrees Celsius (-31 degrees Fahrenheit) in black to -5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit) in white. Landslides flowed over 100 kilometers (62 miles) across the floor of Melas Chasma. They produced deposits with ridges and grooves of alternating warm and cold materials that can still be seen. The temperature differences in this image are due primarily to lighting effects, where sunlit slopes are warm (bright) and shadowed slopes are cool (dark). The nighttime temperature differences are due to differences in the abundance of rocky materials that retain their heat at night and stay relatively warm (red). Fine grained dust and sand (blue) cools off more rapidly at night. These images were acquired using the thermal infrared imaging system infrared B and 9, centered at 12.6 micrometers.Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science in Washington, D.C. Investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. Additional science partners are located at the Russian Aviation and Space Agency and at Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL. | |
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 right-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. | |
The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. 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 plains of Margaritifer Terra. | 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 plains of Margaritifer Terra.Orbit Number: 52021 Latitude: -18.9842 Longitude: 332.027 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-09-05 07:38Please 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 part of the dune field called Aspledon Undae and a crater filled with a large sand sheet. Aspledon Undae is located in Vastitas Borealis, near the north polar ice cap. | 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 dune field called Aspledon Undae and a crater filled with a large sand sheet. Aspledon Undae is located in Vastitas Borealis, near the north polar ice cap.Orbit Number: 77175 Latitude: 71.2167 Longitude: 309.213 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-05-08 22:02Please 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. | |
Spirit 360-Degree View on Sol 409 | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to take the images combined into this 360-degree view of the rover's surroundings on Spirit's 409th martian day, or sol (Feb. 26, 2005). Spirit had driven 2 meters (7 feet) on this sol to get in position on "Cumberland Ridge" for looking into "Tennessee Valley" to the east. This location is catalogued as Spirit's Site 108. Rover-wheel tracks from climbing the ridge are visible on the right. The summit of "Husband Hill" is at the center, to the south. This view is presented in a cylindrical projection with geometric and brightness seam correction. | |
This false-color image released on May 24, 2004 from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey of a crater in Acidalia Planitia on Mars was acquired Sept. 29, 2002, during northern spring. | Released 24 May 2004This image of a crater in Acidalia Planitia was acquired Sept. 29, 2002, during northern spring.The THEMIS VIS camera is capable of capturing color images of the martian surface using its five different color filters. In this mode of operation, the spatial resolution and coverage of the image must be reduced to accommodate the additional data volume produced from the use of multiple filters. To make a color image, three of the five filter images (each in grayscale) are selected. Each is contrast enhanced and then converted to a red, green, or blue intensity image. These three images are then combined to produce a full color, single image. Because the THEMIS color filters don't span the full range of colors seen by the human eye, a color THEMIS image does not represent true color. Also, because each single-filter image is contrast enhanced before inclusion in the three-color image, the apparent color variation of the scene is exaggerated. Nevertheless, the color variation that does appear is representative of some change in color, however subtle, in the actual scene. Note that the long edges of THEMIS color images typically contain color artifacts that do not represent surface variation.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 49.6, Longitude 325.3 East (34.7 West). 38 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 captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the lava flows that originated from Arsia Mons. | Context imageThis VIS image shows part of the lava flows that originated from Arsia Mons. Several different surface textures are visible.Orbit Number: 62865 Latitude: -7.54155 Longitude: 226.767 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-02-15 02:02Please 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 small portion of two landslide deposits within Melas Chasma. | Context imageThis VIS image shows a small portion of two landslide deposits within Melas Chasma.Orbit Number: 39090 Latitude: -8.01923 Longitude: 282.21 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-10-06 22:36Please 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. | |
The large sand sheets and dunes observed in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey are located near the north pole of Mars. Changes in surface albedo across the image are likely due to variable thicknesses of dark sand that covers lighter surfaces. | The large sand sheets and dunes observed in this THEMIS image are located near the north pole of Mars. Changes in surface albedo across the image are likely due to variable thicknesses of dark sand that cover lighter surfaces. Layering of units is observed near the top of the image and is evidence to changing conditions throughout the geologic history of Mars.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.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 37.1, Longitude 15.3 East (19.1 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. | |
This night time image released on Nov 24, 2004 from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows Nirgal Vallis on Mars, a long fluvial channel that flows south into the margin of Argyre Basin. | This nighttime IR image is of Nirgal Vallis, a long fluvial channel that flows south (towards top of image) into the margin of Argyre Basin.NOTE: in nighttime images North is to the bottom of the image.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -28.4, Longitude 317.6 East (42.4 West). 100 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 path that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit followed from the 743rd Martian day (Feb. 4, 2009), or sol, to Sol 2471 (Dec. 15, 2010). Spirit has been at a sand-trap location called 'Troy' since April 2009. | This map shows the path that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit followed from the 743rd Martian day, or sol, of its work on Mars (Feb. 4, 2009) to Sol 2471 (Dec. 15, 2010). Spirit has been at a sand-trap location called "Troy" since April 2009 and has not communicated since March 2010. Communication attempts continue because the rover may be in a low-power hibernation mode and able to resume communications when available solar power increases during southern Mars spring.The base map is imagery from the Context Camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.Spirit completed its three-month prime mission in April 2004. | |
The depressions in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey likely formed due to both volcanic and tectonic forces. Tectonic forces likely account for some of the depressions, while collapse into lava tubes and lava flow erosion account for the remainder. | Context imageThe depressions in this VIS image likely formed due to both volcanic and tectonic forces. Tectonic forces, like faulting, probably account for the formation of some of the depressions, while collapse into lava tubes and lava flow erosion probably account for the remainder.Orbit Number: 38404 Latitude: 26.5643 Longitude: 249.254 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-08-11 12:42Please 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 Odyssey spacecraft captured this image in August 2003, showing parallel grooves oriented north to south, slowly eroded by winds of the same alignment. At bottom, a round mesa is most likely an inverted crater on Mars. | Released 5 August 2003Because it does not rain on Mars, the wind is free to shape the surface to the extent that it becomes clear even in spacecraft images. This image shows parallel grooves oriented north to south, slowly eroded by winds of the same alignment. At the bottom of the image, a round mesa is most likely an inverted crater--that is, a crater that has withstood the wind erosion to such a degree that it remains on the surrounding plains as a protruding structure, rather than a hole in the ground.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -12, Longitude 177.3 East (182.7 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. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity took images combined into this polar full-circle view of Mars' Meridiani Planum region includes dark-toned sand ripples and small exposures of lighter-toned bedrock during March 5, 2009. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera to take the images combined into this full-circle view of the rover's surroundings during the 1,818th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity's surface mission (March 5, 2009). South is at the center; north at both ends. This view is presented as a polar projection with geometric seam correction. North is at the top.The rover had driven 80.3 meters (263 feet) southward earlier on that sol. Tracks from the drive recede northward in this view. The terrain in this portion of Mars' Meridiani Planum region includes dark-toned sand ripples and lighter-toned bedrock. | |
This image contains several different impact craters on Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA02298Crater VarietyThis image contains several different impact craters. The elongate depression near the top of the image is formed when more than one impactor hits at the same time (a double whammy). The large crater at the bottom formed in a single impact, but was subsequently filled with material that is now being removed.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 13.5N, Longitude 167.2E. 36 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 acquired on July 11, 2021 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows light-toned layered deposits adjacent to the walls of northwestern Candor Chasma. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionLight-toned layered deposits are found throughout central Valles Marineris. Most of the deposits tend to be towards the center of the depressions, away from the walls that define our solar system's largest canyon.In this image of northwestern Candor Chasma, the light-toned layered deposits are adjacent to the walls. If the deposits are on top of the walls, then we know they were laid down after the chasma had already formed. However, if they are outcropping from within the walls, then they are older deposits that pre-date the chasma's formation.Determining when the light-toned layered deposits formed is important for understanding the geologic history of Valles Marineris, especially because these deposits are hydrated and most likely formed in the presence of liquid water.The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 26.6 centimeters [10.5 inches] per pixel [with 1 x 1 binning]; objects on the order of 53.3 centimeters [21.0 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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows frost-covered sand dunes in the martian north polar region. | 29 August 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows frost-covered sand dunes in the martian north polar region. The winds responsible for these dunes generally blew from the southwest (lower left).Location near: 80.0°N, 114.6°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Spring | |
This view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera is a false-color composite rendering of the first seven holes that the rover's rock abrasion tool dug on the inner slope of 'Endurance Crater' on Mars. | This view from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera is a false-color composite rendering of the first seven holes that the rover's rock abrasion tool dug on the inner slope of "Endurance Crater." The rover was about 12 meters (about 39 feet) down into the crater when it acquired the images combined into this mosaic. The view is looking back toward the rim of the crater, with the rover's tracks visible. The tailings around the holes drilled by the rock abrasion tool, or "Rat," show evidence for fine-grained red hematite similar to what was observed months earlier in "Eagle Crater" outcrop holes.Last week, viewers were asked to try seeing as many holes as they could from a black-and-white, navigation-camera image (PIA06716). Most viewers will find it far easier to see the seven holes in this exaggerated color image; the same is true for scientists who are studying the holes from millions of miles away.Starting from the uppermost pictured (closest to the crater rim) to the lowest, the rock abrasion tool hole targets are called "Tennessee," "Cobblehill," "Virginia," "London," "Grindstone," "Kettlestone," and "Drammensfjorden." Opportunity drilled these holes on sols 138 (June 13, 2004), 143 (June 18), 145 (June 20), 148 (June 23), 151 (June 26), 153 (June 28) and 161 (July 7), respectively. Each hole is 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter.This image was generated using the panoramic camera's 750-, 530-, and 430-nanometer filters. It was taken on sol 173 (July 19). | |
This is a false color image of Rabe Crater captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. In this combination of filters 'blue' typically means basaltic sand. Rabe Crater is 108 km (67 miles) across. | Context image This is a false color image of Rabe Crater. In this combination of filters "blue" typically means basaltic sand. Rabe Crater is 108 km (67 miles) across. Craters of similar size often have flat floors. Rabe Crater has some areas of flat floor, but also has a large complex pit occupying a substantial part of the floor. The interior fill of the crater is thought to be layered sediments created by wind and or water action. The pit is eroded into this material. The eroded materials appear to have stayed within the crater forming a large sand sheet with surface dune forms as well as individual dunes where the crater floor is visible. The dunes also appear to be moving from the upper floor level into the pit.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.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: 67144 Latitude: -43.5512 Longitude: 34.5951 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-02-01 12:57Please 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 polygonal patterned ground on a south high-latitude plain on Mars. The outlines of the polygons, like the craters and hills in this region, are enhanced by the presence of bright frost left over from the previous winter. | 26 September 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows polygonal patterned ground on a south high-latitude plain. The outlines of the polygons, like the craters and hills in this region, are somewhat enhanced by the presence of bright frost left over from the previous winter. On Earth, polygons at high latitudes would usually be attributed to the seasonal freezing and thawing cycles of ground ice. The origin of similar polygons on Mars is less certain, but might also be an indicator of ground ice.Location near: 75.3°S, 113.2°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Spring | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows channels dissecting the nothern rim of this relatively large unnamed crater in northern Terra Cimmeria. | Context image for PIA10161ChannelsChannels dissect the nothern rim of this relatively large unnamed crater in northern Terra Cimmeria.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -30.9N, Longitude 133.0E. 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. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a dune field in southern Cimmeria Terra, located in the very shallow remnants of an old crater. | Context imageNot all dune fields on Mars are located in deep craters. This dune field in southern Cimmeria Terra is located in the very shallow remnants of an old crater. The area is still at a lower elevation than it's surroundings and can trap sand moving in the region.Orbit Number: 93153 Latitude: -64.8057 Longitude: 153.885 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-12-14 11:57Please 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 InSight lander placed its seismometer on Mars on Dec. 19, 2018. This was the first time a spacecraft robotically placed a seismometer onto the surface of another planet. | NASA's InSight lander placed its seismometer onto Mars on Dec. 19, 2018. This was the first time a spacecraft robotically placed a seismometer onto the surface of another planet. The seismometer is the copper-colored object in this image, which was taken around Martian dusk.The seismometer, called Seismic Explorations for Interior Structure (SEIS), will measure seismic waves caused by marsquakes, meteorite strikes and other phenomena. Watching how these waves travel through Mars' interior will let scientists study how the planet's crust, mantle and core are layered. It will also reveal more about how all rocky bodies are formed, including Earth and its Moon.
JPL manages InSight for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. InSight is part of NASA's Discovery Program, managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the InSight spacecraft, including its cruise stage and lander, and supports spacecraft operations for the mission.A number of European partners, including France's Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), are supporting the InSight mission. CNES and the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP) provided the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) instrument, with significant contributions from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany, the Swiss Institute of Technology (ETH) in Switzerland, Imperial College and Oxford University in the United Kingdom, and JPL. DLR provided the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3) instrument, with significant contributions from the Space Research Center (CBK) of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Astronika in Poland. Spain's Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) supplied the wind sensors.For more information about the mission, go to https://mars.nasa.gov/insight. | |
This DVD carries nearly 4 million names collected by NASA in the 'Send Your Name to Mars' project as well as various student activities. It traveled to Mars in 2004 onboard NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. | This DVD carries nearly 4 million names collected by NASA in the "Send Your Name to Mars" project as well as various student activities. At the center of the DVD is a Lego "astrobot" minifigure that allows children to follow the mission via the astrobot diaries of Biff Starling and Sandy Moondust. Magnets on the outer edge of the DVD will collect dust for student analysis, and children can also decode the hidden message in the black dashes around the edges of the DVD. The DVD was provided and supported by the Planetary Society, the LEGO Company, Visionary Products, Inc., Plasmon OMS and the Danish magnet team. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Tempe Terra. Both channels and graben are visible in this image. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of Tempe Terra. Both channels and graben are visible in this image.Orbit Number: 61577 Latitude: 43.4311 Longitude: 304.568 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-11-01 00:29Please 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 colorful rocks exposed in the central peak visible in this image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter probably reflect variations in mineral content that were caused by water activity early in Mars' history. | Small impact craters retain their original bowl shape, but once a crater is large enough that the force of gravity on the slopes of the crater wall is greater than the strength of the target material, the wall collapses inward to form a central peak.On Mars, the transition between simple (bowl-shaped) and complex craters is observed to occur at about 7-kilometer diameter. The formation of central peaks in complex craters brings up material from deep beneath the Martian surface. Therefore, central peaks of complex craters are good places to look for ancient rocks.The colorful rocks exposed in the central peak visible in this image probably reflect variations in mineral content that were caused by water activity early in Mars' history. The CRISM hyperspectral image that was taken at the same time as this HiRISE image may show evidence for the various types of minerals that presumably are responsible for the colors visible here.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. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity recorded this view of the western edge of 'Cape York,' a segment of the rim of Endeavour Crater. A bright vein, informally named 'Homestake,' is visible on the right side of the image. | The navigation camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity recorded this view of the western edge of "Cape York" during the 2,761st Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Oct. 30, 2011). Cape York is a segment of the rim of Endeavour Crater. A bright vein, informally named "Homestake," is visible on the right side of the image. The vein is about as wide as a thumb and about 18 inches (45 centimeters) long. Opportunity examined it in November 2011 and found it to be rich in calcium and sulfur, possibly the calcium-sulfate mineral gypsum. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows gullies formed in the walls of an impact crater on Mars. Such gullies might result from seepage and runoff of groundwater. | 5 December 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows gullies formed in the walls of an impact crater. Such gullies might result from seepage and runoff of groundwater; others have suggested snowmelt might be involved, although there is no evidence for snow at this location.Location near: 35.7°S, 207.6°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Summer | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a small portion of Tempe Fossae. The fossae are graben comprised of paired, parallel fractures with a down-dropped block of material between the fracture set. | Context imageToday's VIS image is shows a small portion of Tempe Fossae. The fossae are graben comprised of paired, parallel fractures with a down-dropped block of material between the fracture set. This morphology is created by extensional tectonic stresses. This image is located in a region of Tempe Terra that is complexly fractured. The complete fossae system in almost 2000 km (1242 miles) long.Orbit Number: 88700 Latitude: 31.4624 Longitude: 274.34 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-12-12 20:53Please 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 released on August 18, 2004 from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows Hydraotes Chaos. Chaos is a distinctive area of broken terrain. | Released August 18, 2004The THEMIS Image of the Day will be exploring the nomenclature of Mars for the next three weeks.Hydraotes ChaosChaos: distinctive area of broken terrain Hydraotes: Alexander the Great attacked the Mallains on the banks of the Hydraotes River (today's Ravi River) during his conquest of India.Hydraotes Chaos is typical of chaos regions on Mars. Note the break up of the plateau into smaller mesas separated by deep valleys. In some chaos, the mesas also seem to get fractured into smaller and smaller segments.Nomenclature Fact of the Day: A person must be deceased for at least three years before his/her name can be used for a planetary feature.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 0.4, Longitude 324.8 East (35.2 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 mosaic of images from the Mastcam onboard NASA's Mars rover Curiosity shows Mount Sharp in raw color. Raw color shows the scene's colors as they would look in a typical smart-phone camera photo, before any adjustment. | This mosaic of images from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity shows Mount Sharp in raw color as recorded by the camera. Raw color shows the scene's colors as they would look in a typical smart-phone camera photo, before any adjustment.Mount Sharp, also called Aeolis Mons, is a layered mound in the center of Mars' Gale Crater, rising more than 3 miles (5 kilometers) above the crater floor, where Curiosity has been working since the rover's landing in August 2012. Lower slopes of Mount Sharp are the major destination for the mission, though the rover will first spend many more weeks around a location called "Yellowknife Bay," where it has found evidence of a past environment favorable for microbial life.This mosaic was assembled from dozens of images from the 100-millimeter-focal-length telephoto lens camera mounted on the right side of the Mastcam instrument. The component images were taken during the 45th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's mission on Mars (Sept. 20, 2012). The sky has been filled out by extrapolating color and brightness information from the portions of the sky that were captured in images of the terrain. A white-balanced version of the mosaic is available at PIA16768. White balancing makes the sky look overly blue, but shows the terrain as if under Earth-like lighting.Curiosity's Mastcam was built and is operated by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project and the mission's Curiosity rover for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed and assembled at JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.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 McMurdo Crater. Located on the margin of the south polar cap, the layering of the ice is visible along the crater rim. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of McMurdo Crater. Located on the margin of the south polar cap, the layering of the ice is visible along the crater rim. McMurdo Crater is name for McMurdo Station in Antarctica.Orbit Number: 84572 Latitude: -84.2613 Longitude: 3.22696 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-01-06 22:46Please 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 a flooded crater in Amazonis Planitia. This crater has been either flooded with mud and or lava. The fluid then ponded up, dried and formed the surface textures we see today. | Flooded crater in Amazonis Planitia. This crater has been either flooded with mud and or lava. The fluid then ponded up, dried and formed the surface textures we see today.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.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 27, Longitude 190.9 East (169.1 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a volcano and surrounding terrain on Mars that have been thickly mantled by dust which had subsequently been eroded so that it appears textured rather than smooth. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-498, 29 September 2003Today, 29 September 2003, is the first day of southern summer, and the first day of northern winter on Mars. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a small volcano in Syria Planum near 12.9°S, 102.7°W. The volcano and surrounding terrain have been thickly mantled by dust; this dust has subsequently been eroded so that it appears textured rather than smooth. The thin, light streaks that crisscross the image are the tracks left by passing dust devils. Not all dust devils on Mars make streaks, and not all streaks are darker than their surroundings--those found in Syria Planum are invariably lighter in tone. The picture covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) across; sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this grey-scale panoramic camera image on sol 100, April 14, 2004. It captures Spirit's the highlands informally named 'Columbia Hills.' | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this grey-scale panoramic camera image on sol 100, April 14, 2004. It captures Spirit's future destination at the highlands informally named "Columbia Hills." In this image, the hills are approximately 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) to the southeast.Scientists believe the hills may consist of different and potentially older rock units than the basalts that Spirit has observed so far. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a section of Nanedi Valles, located in Xanthe Terra. | Context image This VIS image shows a section of Nanedi Valles, located in Xanthe Terra.Orbit Number: 69198 Latitude: 5.22677 Longitude: 310.49 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-07-20 19:26Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft captured this image in August 2003, showing the floor of a crater just north of the Argyre basin in the southern hemisphere. Dark dunes have been pushed up against the northeastern interior rim of the crater on Mars. | Released 6 August 2003This image shows the floor of a crater just north of the Argyre basin in the southern hemisphere. Dark dunes have been pushed up against the northeastern interior rim of the crater, indicating that the prevailing winds blow from the southwest.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -35.7, Longitude 324.1 East (35.9 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. | |
This image shows the spectrogram of vibrations (frequency spectrum over time) recorded by two of the three sensors of the short period seismometer on NASA's InSight lander on Mars. | Figure 1Figure 2Click on images for larger versionsThe spectrogram of vibrations (frequency spectrum over time) recorded by two of the three sensors of the short period seismometer on NASA's InSight lander on Mars. This spectrogram shows the first 1,000 seconds, roughly 20 minutes, of InSight's first seismic data from the Red Planet. The vibrations of the lander are due to the wind passing over the spacecraft, particularly the large solar arrays.JPL manages InSight for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. InSight is part of NASA's Discovery Program, managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.France's national space agency, Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES), Paris, leads the consortium that provided SEIS. The principal investigator for SEIS is Philippe Lognonné of the Institute of Earth Physics of Paris (Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, or IPGP). Imperial College, London, and Oxford University made the short-period sensors.For more information about the mission, go to https://mars.nasa.gov/insight. | |
This map shows local variations in Mars' gravitational pull on orbiters, presenting unprecedented detail based on several years of data from tracking three of NASA's Mars orbiters. | This map shows local variations in Mars' gravitational pull on orbiters, presenting unprecedented detail based on several years of data from tracking three of NASA's Mars orbiters. The gravitational mapping has been applied to map variations in the thickness of the planet's crust and to deduce information about its deeper interior.This view of a global map is centered at 90 degrees west longitude, showing portions of the planet that include tall volcanoes on the left and the deep Valles Marineris canyon system just right of center. Additional views of this global map and related maps are available at http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?4436.The data about local variations in Mars' gravity come from many years of using NASA's Deep Space Network to track positions and velocities of NASA's Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. For calculating crustal thickness, this information about local variations in gravity was combined with information about Mars' topography -- the variations is surface elevation such as mountains and canyons. The relationship of this gravity map to maps of topography and crustal thickness is shown in a three-map panel at PIA20277. The color coding on this map is keyed to values of units of gravity acceleration variability called gals or galileos. The range is from about half a negative gal (dark blue) to one positive gal (white). | |
The fractures in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are part of Claritas Fossae. Note the small, bright dunes in the deep furrow on the bottom left of the image. | Context imageThe fractures in this VIS image are part of Claritas Fossae. Note the small, bright dunes in the deep furrow on the bottom left of the image.Orbit Number: 42697 Latitude: -37.6293 Longitude: 261.568 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-07-30 22:31Please 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. | |
Spring has arrived at the south pole of Mars. The multitude of layers that make up the cap are readily visible in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageSpring has arrived at the south pole of Mars. The multitude of layers that make up the cap are readily visible in today's THEMIS VIS image.Orbit Number: 56290 Latitude: -84.0207 Longitude: 220.827 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-08-22 15:42Please 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 large individual dunes on the floor of Kaiser Crater. | Context imageThis VIS image shows large individual dunes on the floor of Kaiser Crater. Small dark lines to the right of the sand dunes are the tracks made by dust devils as they move along the surface. Kaiser Crater is located in Noachis Terra.Orbit Number: 75451 Latitude: -46.7049 Longitude: 20.0962 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-12-17 21:20Please 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 crater is located on the flank of Ascraeus Mons on Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA08046Volcano CraterThis crater is located on the flank of Ascraeus Mons.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 9.3N, Longitude 257.6E. 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 captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Aspledon Undae, a region of dunes near the north pole. The right side of the image shows hundreds of small, isolated dunes. | Context imageThis VIS image shows part of Aspledon Undae, a region of dunes near the north pole. The right side of the image shows hundreds of small, isolated dunes. On the left side of the image, these small dunes appear to have merged into larger dune forms.Orbit Number: 54806 Latitude: 72.1234 Longitude: 312.147 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-04-22 13:26Please 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 image from NASA's Viking Orbiter 1 shows the northern hemisphere of Mars is shown on the left, and the southern hemisphere on the right. | The photomosaic that forms the base for this globe was created by merging two global digital image models (DIM's) of Mars-a medium-resolution monochrome mosaic processed to emphasize topographic features and a lower resolution color mosaic emphasizing color and albedo variations.The medium-resolution (1/256 or roughly 231 m/pixel) monochromatic image model was constructed from about 6,000 images having resolutions of 150-350 m/pixel and oblique illumination (Sun 20 ° -45 ° above the horizon). Radiometric processing was intended to suppress or remove the effects of albedo variations through the use of a high-pass divide filter, followed by photometric normalization so that the contrast of a given topographic slope would be approximately the same in all images.The global color mosaic was assembled at 1/64 or roughly 864 m/pixel from about 1,000 red- and green-filter images having 500-1,000 m/pixel resolution. These images were first mosaiced in groups, each taken on a single orbit of the Viking spacecraft. The orbit mosaics were then processed to remove spatially and temporally varying atmospheric haze in the overlap regions. After haze removal, the per-orbit mosaics were photometrically normalized to equalize the contrast of albedo features and mosaiced together with cosmetic seam removal. The medium-resolution DIM was used for geometric control of this color mosaic. A green-filter image was synthesized by weighted averaging of the red- and violet-filter mosaics. Finally, the product seen here was obtained by multiplying each color image by the medium-resolution monochrome image. The color balance selected for images in this map series was designed to be close to natural color for brighter, redder regions, such as Arabia Terra and the Tharsis region, but the data have been stretched so that the relatively dark regions appear darker and less red than they actually are.The images are presented in a projection that portrays the entire surface of Mars in a manner suitable for the production of a globe; the number, size, and placement of text annotations were chosen for a 12-inch globe. Prominent features are labeled with names approved by the International Astronomical Union. A specialized program was used to create the "flower petal" appearance of the images; the area of each petal from 0 to 75 degrees latitude is in the Transverse Mercator projection, and the area from 75 to 90 degrees latitude is in the Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection. The northern hemisphere of Mars is shown on the left, and the southern hemisphere on the right. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a section of Bahram Vallis. This channel is located in northern Lunae Planum, south of Kasei Valles. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a section of Bahram Vallis. This channel is located in northern Lunae Planum, south of Kasei Valles. Bharam Vallis drains from the higher elevations of Lunae Planum towards the Chryse Planitia basin. This channel is over 300km (186 miles) long.Orbit Number: 94564 Latitude: 20.5977 Longitude: 302.359 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2023-04-09 17:00Please 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 is the result of the first observation of a target selected autonomously by NASA's Opportunity using newly developed and uploaded software called AEGIS. The false color makes some differences between materials easier to see. | This view results from the first observation of a target selected autonomously by a spacecraft on Mars. During the 2,172nd Martian day, or sol, of its mission on Mars (March 4, 2010), NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used newly developed and uploaded software to choose a target from a wider-angle image and point its panoramic camera (Pancam) to observe the chosen target through 13 different filters. The imaging was part of a checkout of the new software, named Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science, or AEGIS. Images taken through three of the filters are combined into this false-color view of the rock, which is about the size of a football. The component images are one-quarter subframe field of view, taken with the left camera of the stereo Pancam through filters admitting wavelengths of 750 nanometers, 530 nanometers and 430 nanometers. The false color makes some differences between materials easier to see.The rock in the target is close to a young crater called "Concepcion" and might have been thrown outward by the impact that excavated the crater. The wider-angle image that Opportunity analyzed to select this target was taken by the rover's navigation camera and is at PIA12973. | |
This is a close-up view of the northern two-thirds of one of the quadrangles (number 50) that were mapped onto the landing region of NASA's Curiosity rover; background image obtained by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | This is a close-up view of the northern two-thirds of one of the quadrangles (number 50) that were mapped onto the landing region of NASA's Curiosity rover. Note the presence of layered deposits around the rim of an impact crater, as well as along a scarp that traces through the center of the quad. These exposures are reminiscent of the terrain studied by NASA's Opportunity rover, where exploration was limited to the layered deposits exposed along the flanks of craters, in addition to NASA's Spirit rover, which studied the layering exposed along a circular scarp known as "Home Plate." The Gale Crater landing region provides access to both types of exposures.The background image was obtained by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.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 NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a small part of the south polar cap. The layers record the seasonal deposition of dust and ice over the course of 1000's of years. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a small part of the south polar cap. The layering of the cap is easy to see. The layers record the seasonal deposition of dust and ice over the course of 1000's of years. This image was taken during summer at the pole.Orbit Number: 74904 Latitude: -85.4168 Longitude: 184.015 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-11-02 20:21Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a ripple-covered valley floor in the Hyblaeus Fossae region on Mars. Winds blowing up and down the length of the valley have helped to concentrate windblown grains to form these large, megaripples. | 15 September 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a ripple-covered valley floor in the Hyblaeus Fossae region. Winds blowing up and down the length of the valley have helped to concentrate windblown grains to form these large, megaripples.Location near: 26.3°N, 225.1°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Autumn | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the floor of an unnamed crater in Noachis Terra. | Context imageThis VIS image shows part of the floor of an unnamed crater in Noachis Terra. Individual dunes and a large sand sheet with surface dune morphology fill a large area of the crater floor. The amount of sand controls the formation of dunes. Regions with only a limited amount of sand will contain small individual dunes. As more sand enters a region the dunes will grow larger. When large amounts of sand fill a region, individual dunes will coalesce into larger and larger dunes, eventually completely covering the surface as a sand sheet with dune crest features on the top. Dunes often occur in craters on Mars.Orbit Number: 75357 Latitude: -52.1099 Longitude: 33.1768 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-12-10 03:58Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity took this cylindrical projection 360-degree view of the rover's surroundings on March 6, 2005. Opportunity had completed a drive across the rippled flatland of the Meridiani Planum region. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera to take the images combined into this 360-degree view of the rover's surroundings on the 398th martian day, or sol, of its surface mission (March 7, 2005). Opportunity drove 95 meters (312 feet) toward "Vostok Crater" that sol before taking the images. The drive was done in four steps: three "blind-drive" segments followed by a segment using the rover's autonomous navigation. This location is catalogued as Opportunity's site 49. The view is presented in a cylindrical projection with geometric seam correction. | |
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to capture this 360-degree view on July 3, 2021. The panorama is made up of 129 individual images that were sent to Earth, after which they are stitched together. | NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to capture this 360-degree view near "Rafael Navarro Mountain" on July 3, 2021, the 3,167th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Stitched together from 129 individual images, the panorama has been white-balanced so that the colors of the rock materials resemble how they would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. A craggy hump that stretches 450 feet (137 meters) tall, the geologic feature is located on Mount Sharp in northwest Gale Crater.Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego built and operates Mastcam. A division of Caltech, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California built the Curiosity rover and manages the Curiosity rover for the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.For more information about Curiosity, visit http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl or https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html. | |
Dusty Solar Panels on Spirit | The deck of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is so dusty that the rover almost blends into the dusty background in this image assembled from frames taken by the panoramic camera (Pancam) during the period from Spirit's Sol 1,355 through Sol 1,358 (Oct. 26-29, 2007).Dust on the solar panels reduces the amount of electrical power the rover can generate from sunlight each sol. Earlier self-portraits by Spirit, such as one taken on Sol 586 (PIA03272), offer a comparison view of cleaner solar panels.The vertical projection used here produces the best view of the rover deck, though it distorts the ground and antennas somewhat. The eight-pointed star shape near the front of the rover (bottom of the image) marks the location of the camera mast, which is out of view of the Pancam atop the mast. This mosaic view in approximate true color is a composite of frames taken through the Pancam's filters centered on wavelengths of 600 nanometers, 530 nanometers and 480 nanometers. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows troughs and a pit chain (on the floor of the deeper trough) located immediately northeast of the giant Tharsis volcano, Arsia Mons on Mars. | 20 September 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows troughs and a pit chain (on the floor of the deeper trough) located immediately northeast of the giant Tharsis volcano, Arsia Mons. Lava flows have been cut by these troughs, which formed along fault lines when the crust expanded and rock between the fault lines was raised up or dropped down relative to its original position. Troughs formed in this way are known as graben. This image is located near 7.1°S, 115.0°W. The scene covers an area approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) across and is illuminated by sunlight from the upper left. | |
With summer fast approaching, the frost has sublimated away and the layers that make up the north polar cap are easily discernible, as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageWith summer fast approaching, the frost has sublimated away and the layers that make up the north polar cap are easily discernible.Orbit Number: 53890 Latitude: 82.8252 Longitude: 98.7289 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-02-06 04:10Please 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 Huo Hsing Vallis located in northern Terra Sabaea. | Context imageThis VIS image shows part of Huo Hsing Vallis located in northern Terra Sabaea.Orbit Number: 78300 Latitude: 31.969 Longitude: 65.7718 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-08-09 13:01Please 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 a small portion of the floor of Kaiser Crater in the Noachis Terra region, Mars. The terrain is covered by large windblown ripples and a few smoother-surfaced sand dunes. | 21 July 2006This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a small portion of the floor of Kaiser Crater in the Noachis Terra region, Mars. The terrain in the upper (northern) half of the image is covered by large windblown ripples and a few smoother-surfaced sand dunes. The dominant winds responsible for these features blew from the west/southwest (left/lower left).Location near: 47.2°S, 341.3°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Winter | |
NASA's Mars rover Opportunity reached the rim of Victoria Crater in Mars' Meridiani Planum region on Sept. 26, 2006. The rim of the crater shows alternating promontories, rocky points while the bottom is covered by sand that has been shaped into ripples. | NASA's Mars rover Opportunity reached the rim of "Victoria Crater" in Mars' Meridiani Planum region with a 26-meter (85-foot) drive during the rover's 951st Martian day, or sol (Sept. 26, 2006). After the drive, the rover's navigation camera took the three exposures combined into this view of the crater's interior. This crater has been the mission's long-term destination for the past 21 Earth months.A half mile in the distance one can see about 20 percent of the far side of the crater framed by the rocky cliffs in the foreground to the left and right of the image. The rim of the crater is composed of alternating promontories, rocky points towering approximately 70 meters (230 feet) above the crater floor, and recessed alcoves. The bottom of the crater is covered by sand that has been shaped into ripples by the Martian wind.The position at the end of the sol 951 drive is about six meters from the lip of an alcove called "Duck Bay." The rover team planned a drive for sol 952 that would move a few more meters forward, plus more imaging of the near and far walls of the crater.Victoria Crater is about five times wider than "Endurance Crater," which Opportunity spent six months examining in 2004, and about 40 times wider than "Eagle Crater," where Opportunity first landed.This view is presented as a vertical projection with geometric seam correction. | |
A plaque commemorating the astronauts who died in the tragic accident of the Space Shuttle Columbia is mounted on the back of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's high-gain antenna. | A plaque commemorating the astronauts who died in the tragic accident of the Space Shuttle Columbia is mounted on the back of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's high-gain antenna. The plaque was designed by Mars Exploration Rover engineers. The astronauts are also honored by the new name of the rover landing site, the Columbia Memorial Station. This image was taken on Mars by Spirit's navigation camera. | |
The unusual texture in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is located on the plains of Elysium Planitia. The surface appears to be layered. The top layer has parallel, linear hills and channels. | Context imageThe unusual texture in today's VIS image is located on the plains of Elysium Planitia. The surface appears to be layered. The top layer has parallel, linear hills and channels. This top layer is being eroded to expose the surface beneath.Orbit Number: 45558 Latitude: 5.78961 Longitude: 172.764 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-03-22 12:00Please 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. | |
Ages ago, a giant earthquake shook the walls of Valles Marineris, the 'Grand Canyon of Mars,' and triggered a catastrophic landslide that crashed down 15,000 feet. This image was taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey. | Ages ago, a giant earthquake shook the walls of Valles Marineris, the "Grand Canyon of Mars," and triggered a catastrophic landslide that crashed down 15,000 feet. Diving into the canyon on a simulated aerial flight, viewers fly over this billion-ton rockslide that extends for nearly a hundred miles. 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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor acquired this image on Dec. 24, 1997 of a small portion of the potential Mars Surveyor '98 landing zone. | On 1/16/1998 at shortly after 12:12 UTC SCET, the Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) took this high resolution image of a small portion of the potential Mars Surveyor '98 landing zone. For the purposes of planning MOC observations, this zone was defined as 75 +/- 2 degrees S latitude, 215 +/- 15 degrees W longitude. The location of the image was selected to try to cover a range of possible surface morphologies, reliefs, and albedos.The spacecraft was observing at approximately 75 degrees S, 213 degrees W. North is to the top of the image.The effects of ground fog, which obscures the surface features(left), has been minimize by filtering (right).Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS) and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows an unnamed crater located northwest of Elysium Mons. This crater contains a central pit, which formed at the time of impact. | Context imageToday's image shows an unnamed crater located northwest of Elysium Mons. This crater contains a central pit, which formed at the time of impact. The depth, diameter and central morphology of a crater can provide information about both the impactor and the pre-existing surface.Orbit Number: 62294 Latitude: 38.5523 Longitude: 137.201 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-12-30 01:38Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows dark squiggles and streaks created by passing spring and summer dust devils near Pallacopas Vallis in the martian southern hemisphere. | 12 December 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows dark squiggles and streaks created by passing spring and summer dust devils near Pallacopas Vallis in the martian southern hemisphere.Location near: 53.9°S, 17.2°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Summer | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the large sand sheet and sand dunes on the floor of Proctor Crater. | Originally released on Oct. 8, 2013Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of the large sand sheet and sand dunes on the floor of Proctor Crater.Orbit Number: 51819 Latitude: -47.6422 Longitude: 30.2201 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-08-19 16:53Please 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 (MRO) shows streaks forming on slopes when dust cascades downhill. The dark streak is an area of less dust compared to the brighter and reddish surroundings. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) shows streaks forming on slopes when dust cascades downhill. The dark streak is an area of less dust compared to the brighter and reddish surroundings. What triggers these avalanches is not known, but might be related to sudden warming of the surface.These streaks are often diverted by the terrain they flow down. This one has split into many smaller streaks where it encountered minor obstacles.These streaks fade away over decades as more dust slowly settles out of the Martian sky.The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 28.1 centimeters (11.1 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning); objects on the order of 84 centimeters (33.1 inches) 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 rim of Gale Crater is visible in the distance, through the dusty haze, in this view of NASA's Curiosity rover of a sloping hillside on Mount Sharp. | This view from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) in NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows a sloping hillside within the "Murray Buttes" region on lower Mount Sharp. The rim of Gale Crater, where the rover has been active since landing in 2012, is visible in the distance, through the dusty haze.The image was taken on Sept. 8, 2016, during the 1454th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates the rover's Mastcam. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's 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. | |
This view of the rock 'Chimp' was acquired by NASA's Sojourner rover's left front camera on Sol 74 (September 17). A large crack, oriented from lower left to upper right, is visible in the rock. Sol 1 began on July 4, 1997. | This view of the rock "Chimp" was acquired by the Sojourner rover's left front camera on Sol 74 (September 17). A large crack, oriented from lower left to upper right, is visible in the rock. A dark crust appears to cover Chimp in some areas whereas other parts of the rock have a lighter shading. A boundary between the two regions is clearly seen in the upper left part of Chimp.This image and PIA01579 (right eye) make up a stereo pair.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).
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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the north polar cap of Mars nearly surrounded by fields of dark, windblown sand dunes. | 6 January 2004The north polar cap of Mars is nearly surrounded by fields of dark, windblown sand dunes. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an example located near 73.5°N, 75.0°W. The orientation of these dunes indicate that the dominant winds--particularly those that occur during storms--come from the upper left (northwest). The picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across, and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left. | |
This right-eye view was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on May 12, 2004. The tracks show the path the rover had traveled so far on its way to the base of the 'Columbia Hills.' | This right eye of a stereo pair of views in a cylindrical-perspective projection was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 127 (May 12, 2004). Spirit is sitting at site 48. The tracks show the path the rover has traveled so far on its way to the base of the "Columbia Hills." In this image, the hills can be seen silhouetted against the horizon on the far left side. Spirit will reach the base of the hills by sol 160.See PIA059023 for 3-D view and PIA05924 for left eye view of this right eye cylindrical-perspective projection. | |
This combined view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity taken in October and December, 2007 shows rocks inside an alcove called 'Duck Bay' in the western portion of Victoria Crater. | Photojournal note: This very large image (487.9 MB TIFF and 17.71 MB JPEG) may be too large for some web browsers to handle. Users may right-click on the TIFF or JPEG link in the legend above to download the file to their desktop. The image can then be viewed in an image manipulation application.During four months prior to the fourth anniversary of its landing on Mars, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity examined rocks inside an alcove called "Duck Bay" in the western portion of Victoria Crater. The main body of the crater appears in the upper right of this stereo panorama, with the far side of the crater lying about 800 meters (half a mile) away. Bracketing that part of the view are two promontories on the crater's rim at either side of Duck Bay. They are "Cape Verde," about 6 meters (20 feet) tall, on the left, and "Cabo Frio," about 15 meters (50 feet) tall, on the right. The rest of the image, other than sky and portions of the rover, is ground within Duck Bay. Opportunity's targets of study during the last quarter of 2007 were rock layers within a band exposed around the interior of the crater, about 6 meters (20 feet) from the rim. Bright rocks within the band are visible in the foreground of the panorama. The rover science team assigned informal names to three subdivisions of the band: "Steno," "Smith," and "Lyell."This view combines many images taken by Opportunity's panoramic camera (Pancam) from the 1,332nd through 1,379th Martian days, or sols, of the mission (Oct. 23 to Dec. 11, 2007). Images taken through Pancam filters centered on wavelengths of 753 nanometers, 535 nanometers and 432 nanometers were mixed to produce this view, which is presented in a false-color stretch to bring out subtle color differences in the scene. Some visible patterns in dark and light tones are the result of combining frames that were affected by dust on the front sapphire window of the rover's camera.Opportunity landed on Jan. 25, 2004, Universal Time, (Jan. 24, Pacific Time) inside a much smaller crater about 6 kilometers (4 miles) north of Victoria Crater, to begin a surface mission designed to last 3 months and drive about 600 meters (0.4 mile). | |
This image taken by NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the caldera of Tharsis Tholus on Mars; fractures are visible in the cliff wall it is possible to see that the fractures dip to the north. | In the upper left corner of this VIS image are a series of fractures. Where the fractures are exposed on the surface it is impossible to tell the plane of the fracture; however where the fractures are visible in the cliff wall it is possible to see that the fractures dip to the north. This image shows part of the caldera of Tharsis Tholus. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 1.7, Longitude 176.5 East (183.5 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. | |
The rocky Martian plain surrounding NASA's Viking 2 is seen in high resolution in this 85-degree panorama sweeping from north at the left to east at right during the Martian afternoon on Sept. 5, 1976. | The rocky Martian plain surrounding Viking 2 is seen in high resolution in this 85-degree panorama sweeping from north at the left to east at right during the Martian afternoon on September 5. Large blocks litter the surface. Some are porous, sponge-like rocks like the one at the left edge (size estimate: 1 1/2 to 2 feet); others are dense and fine-grained, such as the very bright rounded block (1 to 1 1/2 feet across) toward lower right. Pebbled surface between the rocks is covered in places by small drifts of very fine material similar to drifts seen at the Viking 1 landing site some 4600 miles to the southwest. The fine-grained material is banked up behind some rocks, but wind tails seen by Viking 1 are not well-developed here. On the right horizon, flat-topped ridges or hills are illuminated by the afternoon sun. Slope of the horizon is due to the 8-degree tilt of the spacecraft. | |
First panoramic view by NASA's Viking 1 from the surface of Mars taken in 1976. Toward the right edge is an array of smooth fine-grained material which shows some hint of ripple structure and may be the beginning of a large dune field. | First panoramic view by Viking 1 from the surface of Mars. The out of focus spacecraft component toward left center is the housing for the Viking sample arm, which is not yet deployed. Parallel lines in the sky are an artifact and are not real features. However, the change of brightness from horizon towards zenith and towards the right (west) is accurately reflected in this picture, taken in late Martian afternoon. At the horizon to the left is a plateau-like prominence much brighter than the foreground material between the rocks. The horizon features are approximately three kilometers (1.8 miles) away. At left is a collection of fine-grained material reminiscent of sand dunes. The dark sinuous markings in left foreground are of unknown origin. Some unidentified shapes can be perceived on the hilly eminence at the horizon towards the right. A horizontal cloud stratum can be made out halfway from the horizon to the top of the picture. At left is seen the low gain antenna for receipt of commands from the Earth. The projections on or near the horizon may represent the rims distant impact craters. In right foreground are color charts for Lander camera calibration, a mirror for the Viking magnetic properties experiment and part of a grid on the top of the Lander body. At upper right is the high gain dish antenna for direct communication between landed spacecraft and Earth. Toward the right edge is an array of smooth fine-grained material which shows some hint of ripple structure and may be the beginning of a large dune field off to the right of the picture, which joins with dunes seen at the top left in this 300ø panoramic view. Some of the rocks appear to be undercut on one side and partially buried by drifting sand on the other. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's view shows the rover's tracks visible at the original spot where the rover attempted unsuccessfully to exit its landing site crater in 2004. | This is the right-eye version of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's view on its 56th sol on Mars, before it left its landing-site crater. To the right, the rover tracks are visible at the original spot where the rover attempted unsuccessfully to exit the crater. After a one-sol delay, Opportunity took another route to the plains of Meridiani Planum. This image was taken by the rover's navigation camera. |
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