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Layering in Exhumed Crater at Meridiani | Image PSP_001374_1805 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 11, 2006. The complete image is centered at 0.7 degrees latitude, 7.4 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 270.4 km (169.0 miles). At this distance the image scale ranges from 27.1 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) to 54.1 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning). The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:33 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 55 degrees, thus the sun was about 35 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 133.8 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
Several areas of dunes are located on the plains of Terra Cimmeria on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The dunes appear bright in the daytime infrared due the warmer temperatures than the surrounding plains. | Context image for PIA11927Dunes in IRSeveral areas of dunes are located on the plains of Terra Cimmeria. The dunes appear bright in the daytime infrared due the warmer temperatures than the surrounding plains.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -65.8N, Longitude 156.3E. 112 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 oblique view of Gale crater shows the landing site and the mound of layered rocks that NASA's Mars Science Laboratory will investigate. The landing site is in the smooth area in front of the mound. | Unannotated imageClick on the image for larger viewThis oblique view of the lower mound in Gale crater on Mars shows an area of top scientific interest for the Mars Science Laboratory mission. This area is at the base of the mound, just beyond a dark dune field. Here, orbiting instruments have detected signatures of both clay minerals and sulfate salts (see labels on image). Scientists studying Mars have several important hypotheses about how these minerals reflect changes in the Martian environment, particularly changes in the amount of water on the surface of Mars. The Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, will use its full instrument suite to study these minerals and how they formed to give us insights into those ancient Martian environments. These rocks are also a prime target in checking for organic molecules since these environments may have been habitable -- able to support microbial life.A canyon was cut in the mound through the layers containing clay minerals and sulfate salts after deposition of the layers (marked by arrow). This canyon, much like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, exposes layers of rock representing tens or hundreds of millions of years of environmental change. Curiosity may be able to investigate these layers, gaining access to a long history of environmental change on Mars.The canyon also contains sediment that was transported by the water that cut the canyon. This sediment interacted with the water, and the environment at that time may have been habitable. Thus, the rocks deposited at the mouth of the canyon form the third target in the search for organic molecules (marked by arrow).This three dimensional perspective view was created using visible-light imaging by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the High Resolution Stereo Camera on the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter. Three-dimensional information was derived by stereo analysis of image pairs. The vertical dimension is not exaggerated. Color information is derived from color imaging of portions of the scene by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft is being prepared for launch during the period Nov. 25 to Dec. 18, 2011. In a prime mission lasting one Martian year -- nearly two Earth years -- after landing, researchers will use the rover's tools to study whether the landing region has had environmental conditions favorable for supporting microbial life and for preserving clues about whether life existed.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter projects for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the High Resolution Science Imaging Experiment. The European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, operates the European Space Agency's Mars Express mission. The High Resolution Stereo Camera was developed by a group with leadership at the Freie Universitat Berlin. | |
This image captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft shows several smaller craters that formed on the floor of Saheki Crater, an 85-kilometer diameter impact crater north of Hellas Basin. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis HiRISE image shows several smaller craters that formed on the floor of Saheki Crater, an 85-kilometer diameter impact crater north of Hellas Basin.The western portion of this crater is covered by alluvial fan-like deposits that emanate from channels that cut into the crater rim. This HiRISE image -- indicated by a white box atop of a colorized THEMIS temperature image of Saheki -- was taken just east of the central uplift, where vividly colored materials now lie exposed in a kilometer-sized crater.An enhanced color infrared image shows a close-up of the 1-kilometer crater and its contents. The wall of the crater shows a rainbow-like array of bedrock and deposits. Much of this material has been eroded over time and has slumped downwards towards the crater floor, leaving behind chalk-like streaks of color. We can also see reddish and dark-toned layered deposits to the south now covered by the crater's green-toned ejecta.The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows where the southwest flank of Hecates Tholus meets ground level. Hecates Tholus is one of the three major volcanoes that make up the Elysium Volcanic complex. | Context image for PIA10808Hecates TholusThis image shows where the southwest flank of Hecates Tholus meets ground level. Hecates Tholus is one of the three major volcanoes that make up the Elysium Volcanic complex.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 30.9N, Longitude 149.2E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image released on July 28, 2004 from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows a decorrelation stretch near Kaiser Crater. Pink/magenta colors usually represent basaltic dunes, cyan indicates the presence of water ice clouds, while green can represent dust. | Released July 29, 2004This image shows two representations of the same infra-red image covering a portion of Kaiser Crater. On the left is a grayscale image showing surface temperature, and on the right is a false-color composite made from 3 individual THEMIS bands. The false-color image is colorized using a technique called decorrelation stretch (DCS), which emphasizes the spectral differences between the bands to highlight compositional variations.In this image, the basaltic sand dunes in bottom of Kaiser crater are colored a bright pink/magenta. The spectral features are clean and prominent on these dust-free surfaces and the dark color of the basaltic dunes helps them to absorb sunlight and produces higher surface temperatures, which also contributes to the image colors.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -46.5, Longitude 20.3 East (339.7 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 image from NASA's Curiosity rover shows the open inlet where powdered rock and soil samples will be funneled down for analysis. | This image from NASA's Curiosity rover shows the open inlet where powdered rock and soil samples will be funneled down for analysis. It was taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on Curiosity's 36th Martian day, or sol, of operations on Mars (Sept. 11, 2012). MAHLI was about 8 inches (20 centimeters) away from the mouth of the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument when it took the picture. The entrance of the funnel is about 1.4 inches (3.5 centimeters) in diameter. The mesh screen is about 2.3 inches (5.9 centimeters) deep. The mesh size is 0.04 inches (1 millimeter). Once the samples have gone down the funnel, CheMin will be shooting X-rays at the samples to identify and quantify the minerals.Engineers and scientists use images like these to check out Curiosity's instruments. This image is a composite of eight MAHLI pictures acquired at different focus positions and merged onboard the instrument before transmission to Earth; this is the first time the MAHLI performed this technique since arriving at Curiosity's field site inside Gale Crater. The image also shows angular and rounded pebbles and sand that were deposited on the rover deck during landing on Aug. 5, 2012 PDT (Aug. 6, 2012 EDT). | |
This graphic shows Martian atmospheric temperature data related to seasonal patterns in occurrence of large regional dust storms. The data shown here were collected by the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | This graphic shows Martian atmospheric temperature data related to seasonal patterns in occurrence of large regional dust storms. The data shown here were collected by the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter over the course of one-half of a Martian year, during 2012 and 2013. The color coding indicates daytime temperatures of a layer of the atmosphere centered about 16 miles (25 kilometers) above ground level, corresponding to the color-key bar at the bottom of the graphic.Three regional dust storms indicated by increased temperatures are labeled A, B and C. A similar sequence of three large regional dust storms has been seen in atmosphere-temperature data from five other Martian years.The vertical axis is latitude on Mars, from the north pole at the top to south pole at the bottom. Each graphed data point is an average for all Martian longitudes around the planet. The horizontal axis is the time of year, spanning from the beginning of Mars' southern-hemisphere spring (on the left) to the end of southern-hemisphere summer. This is the half of the year when large Martian dust storms are most active. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, built and operates the Mars Climate Sounder, and manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mission. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the orbiter. | |
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity drove 83 feet eastward during the 102nd Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Nov. 18, 2012). At the end of the drive, Curiosity's view was toward 'Yellowknife Bay' in the 'Glenelg' area of Gale Crater. | NASA's Mars rover Curiosity drove 83 feet eastward during the 102nd Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Nov. 18, 2012), and used its left navigation camera to record this view ahead at the end of the drive. The view is toward "Yellowknife Bay" in the "Glenelg" area of Gale Crater.JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the rover. More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. | |
This image, acquired on December 13, 2019 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows a cluster of gullies that appear modified or degraded. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionHiRISE has been operating since 2006, and lately many of our observations of gullies are repeat images designed to study changes. However, we are also collecting data over gullies never before seen at this resolution, to study their morphology and allow us to look for changes in the future. This is the first HiRISE look at a cluster of gullies that appear modified or degraded—the gully fans have ripples and ridges that have formed since the last major gully activity, suggesting that they don't change very often, but we won't know for sure unless we look!The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 30.8 centimeters [12.1 inches] per pixel [with 1 x 1 binning]; objects on the order of 92 centimeters [36.2 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 complex graben is part of Labeatis Fossae. This image was captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageThis complex graben is part of Labeatis Fossae.Orbit Number: 54045 Latitude: 30.2428 Longitude: 280.922 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-02-18 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. | |
This 2011 view near the top of the southern rim of Tivat Crater comes from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. These narrow, dark features appear in warm seasons, gradually extend downslope, fade away in winter and reappear the next year. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis inner slope of a crater on southern Mars has several of the seasonal dark streaks called "recurrent slope lineae," or RSL, that a November 2017 report interprets as granular flows, rather than darkening due to flowing water. This 2011 view near the top of the southern rim of Tivat Crater comes from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. North is toward the top and the slope descends toward the northwest. The view spans an area about 1,000 feet (300 meters) wide. Figure 1 includes a scale bar of 50 meters (164 feet). HiRISE began viewing Mars in 2006. Multiple observations of some sites resulted in discovery of RSL in 2011 and has confirmed many thousands of them at more than 50 sites, from equatorial to mid-latitude north and south. These narrow, dark features appear in warm seasons, gradually extend downslope, fade away in winter and reappear the next year. On Earth, only seeping water is known to have these behaviors. Hydrated salts have been identified at RSL sites and RSL have previously been considered possible evidence of liquid water seeping down the slopes and darkening the ground. The Nov. 20, 2017, report in Nature Geosciences uses analysis of the steepness of slopes where RSL appear, including these RSL at Tivat Crater. The RSL all end, downhill, at approximately the same slope, which is similar to the angle of repose for sand. That is, the flows do not extend to slopes shallower than where dry grains of sand or dust could slip downhill, as on the face of a dune. Seeping water should readily extend to shallower slopes. This image is an excerpt from HiRISE observation ESP_023184_1335, taken on July 8, 2011, during Martian mid-afternoon at this site, at latitude 45.9 degrees south and longitude 9.5 degrees east. Tivat Crater is about 2.2 miles (3.6 kilometers) in diameter, and was named in 2011 for a town in Montenegro.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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-547, 17 November 2003This November 2003 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture shows gullies, sand dunes, and streaks formed by dust devils in southern Galle Crater. The gullies are seen in the upper left (northwest) corner; they originate at layered rock exposures on a hillslope, and meander downslope through a deposit of dark, windblown sand. The gullies might have formed by running water. All of the darker surfaces in this image are dunes; these dunes were covered with bright dust during the previous winter (it is now summer in the southern hemisphere of Mars). Dust devils have been darkening the dunes by removing or disrupting the coating of dust, leaving behind a chaotic plethora of darks streaks. The image is located near 51.9°S, 31.4°W. The area shown is about 3 km (1.9 mi) wide by 6.8 km (4.2 mi) high. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
Shown here is one of the first images taken by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander of one of the octagonal solar panels, which opened like two handheld, collapsible fans on either side of the spacecraft. | Shown here is one of the first images taken by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander of one of the octagonal solar panels, which opened like two handheld, collapsible fans on either side of the spacecraft. Beyond this view is a small slice of the north polar terrain of Mars.The successfully deployed solar panels are critical to the success of the 90-day mission, as they are the spacecraft's only means of replenishing its power. Even before these images reached Earth, power readings from the spacecraft indicated to engineers that the solar panels were already at work recharging the spacecraft's batteries.Before deploying the Surface Stereo Imager to take these images, the lander waited about 15 minutes for the dust to settle.This image was taken by the spacecraft's Surface Stereo Imager on Sol, or Martian day, 0 (May 25, 2008). The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.Photojournal Note: As planned, the Phoenix lander, which landed May 25, 2008 23:53 UTC, ended communications in November 2008, about six months after landing, when its solar panels ceased operating in the dark Martian winter. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows the ridge forms that are typical of Lycus Sulci, a low lying area of ridges and valleys found to the northwest of Olympus Mons. | Context imageLycus Sulci is a low lying area of ridges and valleys found to the northwest of Olympus Mons. It is not yet understood how this feature formed or how it relates to the formation of Olympus Mons itself. This VIS image shows the ridge forms that are typical of this region.Orbit Number: 94829 Latitude: 21.9 Longitude: 217.227 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2023-05-01 12:40Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows drifts that appear to be lighter in color than the dark material deposited on the back wall of the crater. They might be covered by a thin deposit of martian dust. | While the interior and far walls of the crater dubbed "Bonneville" can be seen in the background, the dominant foreground features in this 180-degree navigation camera mosaic are the wind-deposited drifts of dust or sand. NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit completed this mosaic on sol 71, March 15, 2004, from its newest location at the rim of "Bonneville" crater. Scientists are interested in these formations in part because they might give insight into the processes that formed some of the material within the crater. Thermal emission measurements by the rover indicate that the dark material just below the far rim of this crater is spectrally similar to rocks that scientists have analyzed along their journey to this location. They want to know why this soil-like material has a spectrum that more closely resembles rocks rather than other soils examined so far. The drifts seen in the foreground of this mosaic might have the answer. Scientists hypothesize that these drifts might consist of wind-deposited particles that are the same as the dark material found against the back wall of the crater. If so, Spirit may spend time studying the material and help scientists understand why it is different from other fine-grained material seen at Gusev. The drifts appear to be lighter in color than the dark material deposited on the back wall of the crater. They might be covered by a thin deposit of martian dust, or perhaps the drift is like other drifts seen during Spirit's journey and is just a collection of martian dust.To find out, Spirit will spend some of sol 72 digging its wheels into the drift to uncover its interior. After backing up a bit, Spirit will use the panoramic camera and miniature thermal emission spectrometer to analyze the scuffed area. If the interior material has a similar spectrum to the dark deposit in the crater, then Spirit will most likely stay here a little longer to study the drift with the instruments on its robotic arm. If the material is uniform - that is, dusty all the way down, Spirit will most likely move off to another target. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit looks back at the circular tracks made in the martian soil when it drove toward the mountain-shaped rock called Adirondack, Spirit's first rock target. Two rocks called 'Sashimi' and 'Sushi' are seen in the distance. | This rear hazard-identification camera image looks back at the circular tracks made in the martian soil when the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit drove about 3 meters (10 feet) toward the mountain-shaped rock called Adirondack, Spirit's first rock target. Spirit made a series of arcing turns totaling approximately 1 meter (3 feet). It then turned in place and made a series of short, straightforward movements totaling approximately 2 meters (6.5 feet). The drive took about 30 minutes to complete, including time stopped to take images. The two rocks in the upper left corner of the image are called "Sashimi" and "Sushi." In the upper right corner is a portion of the lander, now known as the Columbia Memorial Station. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the results of the second drilling by the rock abrasion tool. The drilling took place on a target called 'Guadalupe' in the 'El Capitan' region of the Meridiani Planum, Mars, rock outcrop. | This image from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera shows the results of the second drilling by the rock abrasion tool, located on the rover's instrument deployment device, or "arm." The drilling took place on a target called "Guadalupe" within the "El Capitan" region of the Meridiani Planum, Mars, rock outcrop.As with the first rock abrasion tool target called "McKittrick," the grinding process at "Guadalupe" has generated a significant amount of fine-grained, reddish dust. Color and spectral properties of the dust show that it may contain some fine-grained crystalline red hematite. This image is an enhanced color composite generated from three different panoramic camera filters. | |
This image from the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows detailed texture of a rock target called 'Elk' on Mars' Mount Sharp. | This image from the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows detailed texture of a rock target called "Elk" on Mars' Mount Sharp, revealing laminations that are present in much of the Murray Formation geological unit of lower Mount Sharp.Researchers also used ChemCam's laser and spectrometers to assess Elk's composition and found it to be rich in silica.The image covers a patch of rock surface about 2.8 inches (7 centimeters) across. It was taken on May 22, 2015, during the mission's 992nd Martian day, or sol. ChemCam's Remote Micro-Imager camera, on top of Curiosity's mast, captured the image from a distance of about 9 feet (2.75 meters). Annotations in red identify five points on Elk that were hit with ChemCam's laser. Each of the highlighted points is a location where ChemCam fired its laser 30 times to ablate a tiny amount of target material. By analyzing the light emitted from this laser-ablation, researchers can deduce the composition of that point. For some purposes, composition is presented as a combination of the information from multiple points on the same rock. However, using the points individually can track fine-scale variations in targets.ChemCam is one of 10 instruments in Curiosity's science payload. The U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, developed ChemCam in partnership with scientists and engineers funded by the French national space agency (CNES), the University of Toulouse and the French national research agency (CNRS). More information about ChemCam is available at http://www.msl-chemcam.com/. | |
This view from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows a site with a network of prominent mineral veins below a cap rock ridge on lower Mount Sharp. | Click on the image for the larger viewThis view from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows a site with a network of prominent mineral veins below a cap rock ridge on lower Mount Sharp.Researchers used the rover in March 2015 to examine the structure and composition of the crisscrossing veins at the "Garden City" site in the center of this scene. For geologists, the vein complex offers a three-dimensional exposure of mineralized fractures in a geological setting called the Pahrump section of the Lower Murray Formation. Curiosity spent several months examining sites in the Pahrump section below this site, before arriving at Garden City.Mineral veins such as these form where fluids move through fractured rocks, depositing minerals in the fractures and affecting chemistry of the surrounding rock. In this case, the veins have been more resistant to erosion than the surrounding host rock.The component images of this mosaic view were taken by the left-eye camera of Mastcam on March 27, 2015, during the 938th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. The scene is presented with a color adjustment that approximates white balancing, to resemble how the rocks would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. For scale, the cap rock scarp is about 3 feet (1 meter) tall. Figure 1 includes scale bars of 1 meter (3.3 feet) vertically and 2 meters (6.7 feet) horizontally.Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates Curiosity's Mastcam. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, built the rover and manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows frost-covered gullies in a crater in the martian southern hemisphere. The dark spots are areas where the frost has begun to change or sublime away. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-398, 21 June 2003This is a late winter Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture of frost-covered gullies in a crater in the martian southern hemisphere. The dark spots are areas where the frost has begun to change or sublime away. The gullies are formed by a combination of mass movement (landsliding) and possibly fluid flow through the channels--whether the fluid was liquid water or some other material is unknown. Today, the surfaces are dry and subjected to the seasonal coming-and-going of carbon dioxide frost. The image is located near 71.0°S, 95.5°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a portion of the ejecta deposit of Yuty Crater. The raised edge of the ejecta is termed a rampart, and indicates that a volatile like water may have been present. | Context image This VIS image shows a portion of the ejecta deposit of Yuty Crater. The raised edge of the ejecta is termed a rampart, and indicates that a volatile like water may have been present. The ejecta edge looks like a flow front and much different from air fall ejecta emplacement.Orbit Number: 68736 Latitude: 22.247 Longitude: 325.213 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-06-12 17:57Please 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. | |
The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Nili Fossae. | Context imageThe THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These flase 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 Nili Fossae.Orbit Number: 43177 Latitude: 22.1864 Longitude: 77.2742 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-09-08 12:28Please 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 red 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 where it reached on Nov. 30, 2010. | Non-annotated imageClick on the image for larger versionThe red 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 where it reached on the 2,436th Martian day, or sol, of its work on Mars (Nov. 30, 2010). The map covers an area about 15 kilometers (9 miles) wide. North is at the top.Drives subsequent to Sol 2436 in early December 2010 brought Opportunity closer to Santa Maria Crater, which is about 90 meters (295 feet) in diameter. The rover team plans to investigate Santa Maria for a few weeks before resuming Opportunity's long-term trek toward the rim of Endeavour Crater. The western edge of 22-kilometer-wide (14-mile-wide) Endeavour is in the lower right corner of this map. Some sections of the discontinuos raised rim and nearby features are indicated with informal names on the map: rim segments "Cape York" and "Solander Point"; a low area between them called "Botany Bay"; "Antares" crater, which formed on sedimentary rocks where the rim was eroded down; and rim fragment "Cape Tribulation," where orbital observations have detected clay minerals.The base map is a mosaic of images from the Context Camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows several different surface textures in the South Polar ice. | Context imageThere are several different surface textures in the South Polar ice. The surface in this image with the round/semi round depressions is informally called swiss cheese.Orbit Number: 74312 Latitude: -86.9779 Longitude: 29.0233 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-09-15 02:05Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Numerous layers within Burroughs Crater are visible in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageNumerous layers within Burroughs Crater are visible in this image.Orbit Number: 50542 Latitude: -71.9548 Longitude: 115.03 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-05-06 15:07Please 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 some of the linear depressions that comprise Nili Fossae. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows some of the linear depressions that comprise Nili Fossae. Nili Fossae is the name of 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: 22.4569 Longitude: 77.804 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. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity took this polar 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 397th martian day, or sol, of its surface mission (March 6, 2005). Opportunity had completed a drive of 124 meters (407 feet) across the rippled flatland of the Meridiani Planum region on the previous sol, but did not drive on this sol. This location is catalogued as Opportunity's site 48. The view is presented here as a polar projection with geometric and brightness seam correction. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a small portion of Tempe Fossae. | Context imageToday's VIS image is shows a small portion of Tempe Fossae. The linear features are tectonic graben. Graben are formed by extension of the crust and faulting. When large amounts of pressure or tension are applied to rocks on timescales that are fast enough that the rock cannot respond by deforming, the rock breaks along faults. In the case of a graben, two parallel faults are formed by extension of the crust and the rock in between the faults drops downward into the space created by the extension. Numerous sets of graben are visible in this THEMIS image, trending from north-northeast to south-southwest. Because the faults defining the graben are formed perpendicular to the direction of the applied stress, we know that extensional forces were pulling the crust apart in the west-northwest/east-southeast direction. The complete fossae system in almost 2000 km (1242 miles) long.Orbit Number: 94652 Latitude: 37.1261 Longitude: 281.195 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2023-04-16 22:58Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Terra Sabaea. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Terra Sabaea.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: 85450 Latitude: 17.5377 Longitude: 75.8334 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-03-20 06:22Please 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 Karzok Crater. This crater is one of two located on the flanks of Olympus Mons. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of Karzok Crater. This crater is one of two located on the flanks of Olympus Mons. Karzok Crater is 15.6km (9.7 mi) in diameter.Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in the solar system, reaching heights over 40 km (25 miles) tall from base to summit, with the base covering an area as large as the state of Arizona. For comparison, Mauna Loa is 9 km (5.5 miles) tall measured from its base on the sea floor.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: 86755 Latitude: 18.2292 Longitude: 228.192 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-07-05 17:12Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-541, 11 November 2003In some regions of Mars, dust devils create streaks by disrupting or removing thin coatings of fine, bright dust from the surface. This summertime view of terrain in southern Noachis Terra, acquired by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC), provides an example. Streak patterns such as these are commonly created during the spring and summer in the southern hemisphere; in autumn and winter they are often erased--perhaps by deposition of a new coating of dust--and then a completely different pattern is formed the following spring and summer. This image is located near 59.6°S, 328.8°W. The picture is 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and illuminated by sunlight from the upper left. | |
This image released on Sept 24, 2004 from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows a part of Candor Chasma on Mars. Gullies, layered rock deposits and wind etched surfaces are visible on this area. | The Odyssey spacecraft has taken some great pictures of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon in the solar system. If this canyon were on Earth, it would stretch from New York to Los Angeles. For the next several weeks, the Image of the Day will tour some of the canyons that make up this vast system. We will start with Ius Chasma in the west, and end with Coprates Chasma to the east. For more information on Vallis Marineris, please see http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mep/science/vm.html.The image shows a part of Candor Chasma. Gullies, layered rock deposits and wind etched surfaces are visible on this area.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -7.5, Longitude 293 East (67 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. | |
Sand dunes cover the floor of this channel in Terra Sabaea on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA08689Channel Dunes >Sand dunes cover the floor of this channel in Terra Sabaea.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 31.5N, Longitude 64.9E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a set of south middle-latitude gullies in a crater wall on Mars. Some of the gullies and the erosional alcoves that formed above them have cut and exposed a light-toned material. | 29 March 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a set of south middle-latitude gullies in a crater wall. Some of the gullies and the erosional alcoves that formed above them have cut and exposed a light-toned material. In the larger gully, this material has been transported down the slope, through the channel, to give the debris apron a lighter tone, as well. The origin of middle-and polar-latitude gullies on Mars remains an area of active debate and discussion within the Mars science community. Mass movement of debris, everyone agrees, has occurred. Unclear are the relative roles of water, ice, and carbon dioxide, if any, in the processes that created the gullies. The light-toned material exposed by the gullies is bedrock, not ice. These features occur near 38.8°S, 40.3°W. This February 2004 image covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
This image, part of an images as art series from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on Feb 23, 2004 shows the martian surface resembling a ghostly head, or rabbit. | Released 23 February 2004Humanity is a very visual species. We rely on our eyes to tell us what is going on in the world around us. Put any image in front of a person and that person will examine the picture looking for anything familiar. Even if the examiner has no idea what he/she is looking at in a picture, he/she will still be able to make a statement about the picture, usually preceded by the words "it looks like..." The image above is part of the surface of Mars, but is presented for its artistic value rather than its scientific value. When first viewed, this image solicited a statement that "it looks like..." something seen in everyday life.Do you see the ghostly head first, or the rabbit?Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the effects of severe wind erosion of layered sedimentary rock in the Aeolis region of Mars. The sharp ridges formed by wind movement are known as yardangs. | 09 August 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows the effects of severe wind erosion of layered sedimentary rock in the Aeolis region of Mars. The sharp ridges formed by wind movement from the lower left (southwest) toward top/upper right (northeast) are known as yardangs. The dark patches in the lower half of the image are sand dunes. This scene is located near 5.0°S, 203.7°W, and covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the terrain from the left/upper left. | |
Only a portion of a large landslide deposit is shown in this image taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The landslide occurred on the rim of an unnamed crater southwest of Holden Crater. | Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAOnly a portion of a large landslide deposit is shown in this VIS image. The landslide occurred on the rim of an unnamed crater southwest of Holden Crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -27.6N, Longitude 323.3E. 20 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 stereo image mosaic from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor is of 'Columbia Hills.' 3D glasses are necessary to view this image. | Two Earth years ago, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit touched down in Gusev Crater. The rover marked its first Mars-year (687 Earth days) anniversary in November 2005. On Nov. 2, 2005, shortly before Spirit's Martian anniversary, the Mars Orbiter Camera on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor acquired an image covering approximately 3 kilometers by 3 kilometers (1.9 miles by 1.9 miles) centered on the rover's location in the "Columbia Hills." The tinted portion of this image gives a stereo, three-dimensional view when observed through 3-D glasses with a red left eye and blue right eye. The tallest peak is "Husband Hill," which was climbed by Spirit during much of 2005. The region south (toward the bottom) of these images shows the area where the rover is currently headed. The large dark patch and other similar dark patches in these images are accumulations of windblown sand and granules. North is up; illumination is from the left. The location is near 14.8 degrees south latitude, 184.6 degrees west longitude. | |
Southern Half of Spirit's 'Bonestell' Panorama | This 180-degree panorama shows the southward vista from the location where Spirit is spending its third Martian winter inside Mars' Gusev Crater. The rover's overwintering location is on the northern edge of a low plateau informally called "Home Plate," which is about 80 meters or 260 feet in diameter.This view combines 168 different exposures taken with Spirit's panoramic Camera (Pancam)—42 pointings with 4 filters at each pointing. Spirit took the first of these frames during the mission's 1,477th Martian day, or sol, (February 28, 2008) two weeks after the rover made its last move to reach the location where it would stop driving for the winter. Solar energy at Gusev Crater is so limited during the Martian winter that Spirit does not generate enough electricity to drive, nor even enough to take many images per day. The last frame for this mosaic was taken on Sol 1599 (July 2, 2008). The rover team plans for Spirit to finish taking images for the northern half of the scene during the Martian spring.The northwestern edge of Home Plate is visible in the right foreground. The blockier, more sharply shadowed texture there is layered sandstone whose layering is tilted inward toward the edge of the Home Plate platform. A dark rock on top of Home Plate in that area is a porous volcanic basalt unlike rocks nearby. The northeastern edge of Home Plate is visible in the left foreground. Spirit first climbed onto Home Plate on that region, in early 2006.Rover tracks from driving by Spirit are visible on Home plate in the center and right of the image. These were made during Spirit's second exploration on top of the plateau, which began when Spirit climbed onto the southern edge of Home Plate in September, 2007.In the center foreground, the turret of tools at the end of Spirit's robotic arm appears in duplicate because the arm was repositioned between the days when the images making up that part of the mosaic were taken.On the horizon, the highest point is "McCool Hill." This is one of the seven larger hills in the Columbia Hills range. Home Plate is in the inner basin of the range, between McCool Hill to the south and "Husband Hill" to the north. To the right of McCool Hill, in the center of the image and closer to Home Plate, is a smaller hill capped with a light-toned outcrop. This hill is called "Von Braun," and it is a possible destination the rover team has discussed for the next season of driving by Spirit, after the solar energy level increases in the Martian spring. The flat horizon in the right-hand portion of the panorama is the basaltic plain onto which Spirit landed on Jan. 4, 2004.This is an approximate true-color, red-green-blue composite panorama generated from images taken through the Pancam's 750-nanometer, 530-nanometer and 430-nanometer filters. This "natural color" view is the rover team's best estimate of what the scene would look like if we were there and able to see it with our own eyes. | |
Layered Ice Deposits near North Pole of Mars (False Color) | This false-color image from HiRISE image PSP_001738_2670 of the north polar layered deposits has been processed to emphasize color variations. It shows that the color as well as texture or morphology varies from layer to layer. Some of the color variations may be caused by small amounts of water frost on the surface, or they may be due to variations in dust composition within the layered deposits. Such changes in composition may have been caused by volcanic eruptions or local weather phenomena when the layers were deposited. Overall, it is thought that the polar layered deposits contain a record of recent climate changes on Mars, similar to ice ages on Earth. High-resolution images like this will be useful in the effort to understand the climate history of Mars. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of an unnamed crater located in Noachis Terra. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of an unnamed crater located in Noachis Terra. Unlike most Martian craters, this one has a very rugged floor. Most craters have flat floors, having been filled with materials such as sand blown into the crater, layered deposits from short term lakes, and volcanic materials from nearby flows. The morphology of the crater floor indicates that this is a relatively young crater, with the original floor created during the impact event.Orbit Number: 93133 Latitude: -41.7607 Longitude: 16.3316 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-12-12 20:18Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This false color image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Coprates Chasma. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Coprates Chasma.Orbit Number: 2637 Latitude: -11.5316 Longitude: 292.751 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2002-07-19 14:59Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image acquired on March 12, 2022 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a crater that punched through the surface of Mars, revealing multiple layers formed previously below the surface. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionStudying what happened when tells geologists about the history of Mars. A crater that punched through the surface of Mars reveals multiple layers formed previously below the surface. Half of the crater was then destroyed by the opening of the channel.Small craters pepper the ejecta blanket of the larger crater but a few are visible in the channel, another clue to its younger age. The most recent signs of activity are the boulders that have tumbled down the sides of the channel.The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 51.2 centimeters [20.2 inches] per pixel [with 2 x 2 binning]; objects on the order of 154 centimeters [60.6 inches] across are resolved.) North is up.The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a typical view of the martian northern plains. Dust devils crisscross the northern plains, leaving a variety of dark streaks. Bright circular features are locations of buried meteor impact craters. | 22 November 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a typical view of the martian northern plains. Thousands of square kilometers of the northern middle and polar latitudes of Mars look similar to the scene in this image. In late spring and in summer, dust devils crisscross the northern plains, leaving a variety of dark streaks. The streaks do not survive from year to year, indicating their ephemeral nature. The circular features in this image, including the prominent bright circular feature near the bottom, are the locations of buried meteor impact craters. This image is located near 58.1°N, 207.6°W, and covers an area approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left. | |
Many prominent rocks near the Sagan Memorial Station are featured in this image from NASA's Mars Pathfinder. 'Shark', 'Half-Dome', and 'Pumpkin' are at center 3D glasses are necessary to identify surface detail. | Many prominent rocks near the Sagan Memorial Station are featured in this image, taken in stereo by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) on Sol 3. 3D glasses are necessary to identify surface detail. Wedge is at lower left; Shark, Half-Dome, and Pumpkin are at center. Flat Top, about four inches high, is at lower right. The horizon in the distance is one to two kilometers away.Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is an operating division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) was developed by the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory under contract to JPL. Peter Smith is the Principal Investigator.Click below to see the left and right views individually.LeftRight
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 a few craters at the surface of Mars' northern plains, and several circular features that represent craters that are mostly buried beneath the plains. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-324, 12 December 2002The martian northern plains remain nearly as mysterious today as they seemed 25 years ago during the Viking missions, even though one of those spacecraft--the Viking 2 lander--went to the northern plains. The northern plains are a lowland with fewer impact craters exposed at the surface than the heavily cratered martian southern highlands. Normally, surfaces with fewer craters are considered younger (i.e., they have had less time to accumulate craters). Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) high resolution images have shown that there really are a lot of craters in this region, but most are thinly buried beneath the plains. This low resolution view, covering an area 168 km (104 mi) by 124 km (77 km), shows a few craters at the surface (such as the one at the center of the image), and several circular features that represent craters that are mostly buried beneath the plains. This view was obtained in August 2002; sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left. | |
This image acquired on August 7, 2021 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows curved, scalloped ridges, called moraines, that are made up of rocks that the glacier collected as it moved downslope. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionThese U-shaped ridges along this crater's interior wall provide clues to an ice-rich past. The curved, scalloped ridges, called moraines, are made up of rocks that the glacier collected as it moved downslope.Even after the ice disappears, the glacial moraines remain, marking the furthest extent (or end) of the glacier. The parallel linear ridges on the wall may mark past levels of the glacier. Although glaciers move slowly, ice is a very powerful way to modify the surface of a planet. The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 60.9 centimeters [24.0 inches] per pixel [with 2 x 2 binning]; objects on the order of 183 centimeters [72.0 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. | |
This image shows the abundance and location of the mineral grey hematite at NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site, Meridiani Planum, Mars. | This image shows the abundance and location of the mineral grey hematite at the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site, Meridiani Planum, Mars. Opportunity is targeted to land somewhere inside the oval, approximately 71 kilometers (45 miles) long, on January 24, 2004 Pacific Standard Time. The background surface image of Meridiani Planum is a mosaic of daytime infrared images acquired by the thermal emission imaging system instrument on NASA's Mars Odyssey Orbiter. Superimposed on this image mosaic is a rainbow-colored map showing the abundance and location of grey hematite, as mapped by the thermal emission spectrometer on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. Red and yellow indicates higher concentrations, whereas green and blue areas denote lower levels. On Earth, grey hematite is an iron oxide mineral that typically forms in the presence of liquid water. The rover Opportunity will study the martian terrain to determine whether liquid water was present in the past when rocks were being formed, and ultimately will address whether that past environment was favorable for life. | |
Layers of bedrock etched by wind to form sharp, elongated ridges known to geomorphologists as yardangs are commonplace in the southern Elysium Planitia/southern Amazonis region of Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor. | Layers of bedrock etched by wind to form sharp, elongated ridges known to geomorphologists as yardangs are commonplace in the southern Elysium Planitia/southern Amazonis region of Mars. The ridges shown in this 3-D composite of two overlapping Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images occur in the eastern Aeolis region of southern Elysium Planitia near 2.3°S, 206.8°W. To view the picture in stereo, you need red-blue 3-D glasses (red filter over the left eye, blue over the right). For wind to erode bedrock into the patterns seen here, the rock usually must consist of something that is fine-grained and of nearly uniform grain size, such as sand. It must also be relatively easy to erode. For decades, most Mars researchers have interpreted these materials to be eroded deposits of volcanic ash. Nothing in the new picture shown here can support nor refute this earlier speculation. The entire area is mantled by light-toned dust. Small landslides within this thin dust layer form dark streaks on some of the steeper slopes in this picture (for more examples and explanations for these streaks, see previous web pages listed below).The stereo (3-D) picture was compiled using an off-nadir view taken by the MOC during the Aerobrake-1 subphase of the mission in January 1998 with a nadir (straight-down-looking) view acquired in October 2000. The total area shown is about 6.7 kilometers (4.2 miles) wide by 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) high and is illuminated by sunlight from the upper right. The relief in the stereo image is quite exaggerated: the ridges are between about 50 and 100 meters (about 165-330 feet) high. North is toward the lower right. | |
The dark slope streaks in this image are located on the rim of an unnamed crater east of Schiaparelli Crater taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAThe dark slope streaks in this VIS image are located on the rim of an unnamed crater east of Schiaparelli Crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -0.8N, Longitude 24.9E. 21 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the northern rim of Horowitz Crater. | Context image The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of the northern rim of Horowitz Crater. Horowitz Crater is located in Terra Cimmeria.Orbit Number: 58894 Latitude: -31.4618 Longitude: 140.816 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-03-25 01:00Please 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, released on Memorial Day, May 26, 2008, shows the American flag and a mini-DVD on the Phoenix's deck, which is about 3 ft. above the Martian surface. | This image, released on Memorial Day, May 26, 2008, shows the American flag and a mini-DVD on the Phoenix's deck, which is about 3 ft. above the Martian surface. The mini-DVD from the Planetary Society contains a message to future Martian explorers, science fiction stories and art inspired by the Red Planet, and the names of more than a quarter million earthlings.The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.Photojournal Note: As planned, the Phoenix lander, which landed May 25, 2008 23:53 UTC, ended communications in November 2008, about six months after landing, when its solar panels ceased operating in the dark Martian winter. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Tyrrhena Terra. | 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 Tyrrhena Terra.Orbit Number: 77663 Latitude: -18.5098 Longitude: 91.5468 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-06-18 01:49Please 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. | |
Gusev Crater Geology as Seen from Above | As NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit continues to explore the "Columbia Hills" within Gusev Crater, scientists are planning to take a closer look for layered rocks in a steep valley straight ahead before directing the rover to turn south toward the summit of "Husband Hill." Two of the geologic formations the six-wheeled robotic geologist has discovered during 2004 are shown here. One is labeled "Columbia Hills material," representing bedrock of the higher slopes and peaks, and one is labeled "transition zone material," representing rocks that are gradational in character and composition between the hills to the east and the plains to the west. The map also shows Spirit's line of travel through the rover's 344th martian day, or sol (Dec. 21, 2004), beginning on the left edge at about the 182nd sol (July 7, 2004). | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the interquartile-scale roughness of the Mars '98 Polar landing site corridor. | Interquartile-scale roughness of the MPL landing site corridor.See also MOLA profile coverage (P50482) in the MPL landing site corridor. This plot shows the distribution of data that was used to make the above high-resolution digital elevation model | |
This image taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rocky road the rover traversed away from the rim of the crater called 'Bonneville.' To the upper right is the rock dubbed 'Hole Point.' | This image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rocky road the rover traversed to reach its current position 16 meters (52 feet) away from the rim of the crater called "Bonneville." The terrain here slopes upward about five degrees. To the upper right is the rock dubbed "Hole Point," which is about 60 centimeters (two feet) across. This image was taken on the 63rd martian day, or sol, of Spirit's mission. | |
Dust-Devil Tracks in Southern Schiaparelli Basin | Click on image for larger versionThis HiRISE image PSP_006477_1745 of dust-devils are vortices of wind that form when air rising from a warm surface encounters shear in the above atmosphere. Martian dust devils can attain gargantuan proportions, reaching the size of terrestrial tornadoes with plumes that tower up to 9 kilometers above the surface. Dust-devils play an important role in sustaining the aerosols that make up Mars' red sky and in cleaning the Martian surface after a dust storm.This observation shows a region near the Martian equator that is perfect tablet for the scribblings of dust-devils. This region is made up of dark bedrock that is thinly blanketed by bright dust. Dark tracks form when dust-devils scour the surface, exposing the darker substrate. The tracks tend to cluster together, as dust-devils repeatedly form over terrain that has been previously scoured and is consequently darker and warmer than the surrounding surface.Once lofted by a dust-devil, the fine dust can be transported great distances before it settles again onto the surface.Observation Toolbox Acquisition date: 14 December 2007Local Mars time: 2:25 PMDegrees latitude (centered): -5.2°Degrees longitude (East): 17.7°Range to target site: 264.7 km (165.4 miles)Original image scale range: 26.5 cm/pixel(with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~79 cm across are resolvedMap-projected scale: 25 cm/pixel and north is upMap-projection: EQUIRECTANGULAREmission angle: 0.1°Phase angle: 36.8°Solar incidence angle: 37°, with the Sun about 53° above the horizonSolar longitude: 2.2°, Northern SpringFor non-projected projected productsNorth azimuth: 97°Sub-solar azimuth: 14°For map projected products:North azimuth: 207°Sub-solar azimuth: 188.638°NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This false color image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the floor of Pollack Crater. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of the floor of Pollack Crater.Orbit Number: 3233 Latitude: -8.02756 Longitude: 24.9125 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2002-09-06 16:27Please 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. | |
Extensive lava flows originating from Arsia Mons created Daedalia Planum. This image is from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageExtensive lava flows originating from Arsia Mons created Daedalia Planum.Orbit Number: 43996 Latitude: -19.7779 Longitude: 241.421 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-11-14 20:36Please 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 THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows more of Asimov Crater. | Context image The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows more of Asimov Crater. Gullies along the crater rim are visible in this image.Orbit Number: 58206 Latitude: -47.4085 Longitude: 4.59969 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-01-27 09:56Please 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 impact crater, as seen by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta.The steep inner slopes are carved by gullies and include possible recurring slope lineae on the equator-facing slopes. Fresh craters often have steep, active slopes, so we are monitoring this crater for changes over time.The bedrock lithology is also diverse. The crater is a little more than 1-kilometer wide.Note: When we say "fresh," we mean on a geological scale. The crater is quite old on a human scale.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 the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project and Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows an unnamed crater in Noachis Terra. | Context imageThe THEMIS 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 an unnamed crater in Noachis Terra.Orbit Number: 43070 Latitude: -20.6112 Longitude: 306.293 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-08-30 15:21Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows Claritas Fossae, a graben filled highland, located between the lava plains of Daedalia Planum and Solis Planum. | Context imageLocated between the lava plains of Daedalia Planum and Solis Planum, Claritas Fossae is a graben filled highland. Graben are formed by tectonic activity, where extensional forces stretch the surface allowing blocks of material to slide down between paired faults. These linear grabens are termed fossae. This region of Mars had very active tectonism and volcanism, resulting in the huge volcanos like Arsia Mons and deep chasmata of Valles Marineris. Claritas Fossae was formed prior to the large lava flows of the Tharsis region.Orbit Number: 91446 Latitude: -36.8955 Longitude: 262.397 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-07-26 23:05Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows dunes located in an unnamed crater due east of Toro Crater on the eastern margin of Syrtis Major. Windstreaks are located downwind of the craters in this region. | Context image for PIA11286DunesThe dunes in this image are located in an unnamed crater due east of Toro Crater on the eastern margin of Syrtis Major. Windstreaks are located downwind of the craters in this region.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 17.5N, Longitude 72.9E. 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. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired this panoramic camera image on the March 12, 2004. The reflective speck about 200 meters (650 feet) away, on the far crater rim, was identified as Spirit's protective heatshield. | Click on the image for Heatshield on the Horizon (QTVR)The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired this panoramic camera image mosaic on the 68th martian day, or sol, of its mission (March 12, 2004). The reflective speck about 200 meters (650 feet) away, on the far crater rim, was immediately a point of interest for scientists and engineers alike. They soon were able to identify it as Spirit's protective heatshield.While the debris is too far away to make out clearly, orbital imagery of the area acquired before and after Spirit landed supports scientists' and engineers' conclusion. Prior to Spirit's landing, the surface at this location appeared undisturbed in orbital images, while post-landing images revealed a large gouge where the heatshield now rests.The smaller image in the box at the lower left corner provides a closer look at the heatshield, and was taken at a lower compression by the panoramic camera on sol 69 (March 13, 2004). Lower compression results in higher quality images. While both the full panorama and close-up are depicted in approximate true color, their colors vary slightly because different filters were used to acquire them. The close-up image was taken with the 600, 530 and 480 nanometer filters. The large mosaic was taken with the 750, 530 and 480 nanometer filters. | |
The south polar region on Mars contains a variety of features including mesas, craters, surfaces with different textures and a couple of windstreaks as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA03599Polar VarietyThis VIS image of the south polar region contains a variety of features including mesas, craters, surfaces with different textures and a couple of windstreaks.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 80.2S, Longitude 323.4E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Pavonis Mons is the middle of the three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge. This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft covers the edge of the volcano's caldera. Outside of the caldera, numerous lava flows and impact craters can be seen. | Pavonis Mons is the middle of the three large volcanoes on the Tharsis bulge. This visible THEMIS image covers the edge of the volcano's caldera. Outside of the caldera, numerous lava flows and impact craters can be seen. In addition, there are a few small features which may be cinder cones. The best example is on the left hand side of the image, about two thirds of the way down from the top. There is an elevation difference of about 4.2 kilometers from the top of the volcano to the caldera floor. This image shows evidence for repeated episodes of mass wasting of the caldera wall, likely due to subsidence of the caldera over time.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 0.8, Longitude 246.9 East (113.1 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a portion of Coprates Chasma on Mars, part of Valles Marineris with multiple large landslides. | Today's daytime IR image is of a portion of Coprates Chasma, part of Valles Marineris. As with yesterday's image, this image shows multiple large landslides.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -8.2, Longitude 300.2 East (59.8 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 image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows the rock dubbed 'Bounce' at Meridiani Planum, Mars, which may have been thrown onto the plains during an impact that formed a crater (arrow) located SE of Opportunity's landing site. | Figure 1Figure 2Figure 3The rock dubbed "Bounce" at Meridiani Planum, Mars, may have been thrown onto the plains during an impact that formed a 25-kilometer-diameter (15.5-mile) crater (arrow) located 50 kilometers (31 miles) southeast of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site (to the right of ellipse center). This infrared Mars Odyssey image taken by the thermal emission imaging system shows the pattern of ejecta, or material, thrown from the large crater. Rays of this rocky material can be seen radiating outward from the crater. The Opportunity landing site is close to one of these rays, as well as other rays of small impact craters seen in high-resolution Mars Odyssey camera images within 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) of the landing site. Bounce rock may be a smaller piece of material ejected onto the plains by this impact event.Figures 1, 2, and 3 above, infrared images increasing in zoom, taken by the thermal emission imaging system on the Mars Odyssey orbiter at night, show the pattern of ejecta, or material, thrown from the large crater. Large rocks on the surface stay warm at night and produce a bright signature. Rays of this rocky material can be seen radiating outward from the crater. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows dunes composed of low albedo (dark) sand grains encircle the north polar cap of Mars. This view was taken during the northern summer in May 1999. | Dunes composed of low albedo (dark) sand grains encircle the north polar cap of Mars. This view was taken during the northern summer in May 1999. | |
The Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity showed researchers interesting internal color in this rock called 'Sutton_Inlier,' which was broken by the rover driving over it. | The Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity showed researchers interesting internal color in this rock called "Sutton_Inlier," which was broken by the rover driving over it. The Mastcam took this image during the 174th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars (Jan. 31, 2013). The rock is about 5 inches (12 centimeters) wide at the end closest to the camera. This view is calibrated to estimated "natural" color, or approximately what the colors would look like if we were to view the scene ourselves on Mars. The inside of the rock, which is in the "Yellowknife Bay" area of Gale Crater, is much less red than typical Martian dust and rock surfaces, with a color verging on grayish to bluish.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/. | |
Color differences in this daytime infrared image taken by the camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft represent differences in the mineral composition of the rocks, sediments and dust on the surface. | Color differences in this daytime infrared image taken by the camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft represent differences in the mineral composition of the rocks, sediments and dust on the surface.The image shows a portion of a canyon named Candor Chasma within the great Valles Marineris system of canyons, at approximately 5 degrees south latitude, 285 degrees east (75 degrees west) longitude. The area shown is approximately 30 by 175 kilometers (19 by 110 miles).The image combines exposures taken by Odyssey's thermal emission imaging system at three different wavelengths of infrared light: 6.3 microns, 7.4 microns and 8.7 microns.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 was provided by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. 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 JPL. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor acquired this image on April 11, 1998. Shown here are layered materials in the walls and on the floors of the enormous Valles Marineris system. | One of the most striking discoveries of the Mars Global Surveyor mission has been the identification of thousands of meters/feet of layers within the wall rock of the enormous martian canyon system, Valles Marineris.Valles Marineris was first observed in 1972 by the Mariner 9 spacecraft, from which the troughs get their name: Valles--valleys, Marineris--Mariner.Some hints of layering in both the canyon walls and within some deposits on the canyon floors were seen in Mariner 9 and Viking orbiter images from the 1970s. The Mars Orbiter Camera on board Mars Global Surveyor has been examining these layers at much higher resolution than was available previously.MOC images led to the realization that there are layers in the walls that go down to great depths. An example of the wall rock layers can be seen in MOC image 8403, shown above (C).MOC images also reveal amazing layered outcrops on the floors of some of the Valles Marineris canyons. Particularly noteworthy is MOC image 23304 (D, above), which shows extensive, horizontally-bedded layers exposed in buttes and mesas on the floor of western Candor Chasma. These layered rocks might be the same material as is exposed in the chasm walls (as in 8403--C, above), or they might be rocks that formed by deposition (from water, wind, and/or volcanism) long after Candor Chasma opened up.In addition to layered materials in the walls and on the floors of the Valles Marineris system, MOC images are helping to refine our classification of geologic features that occur within the canyons. For example, MOC image 25205 (E, above), shows the southern tip of a massive, tongue-shaped massif (a mountainous ridge) that was previously identified as a layered deposit. However, this MOC image does not show layering. The material has been sculpted by wind and mass-wasting--downslope movement of debris--but no obvious layers were exposed by these processes.Valles Marineris a fascinating region on Mars that holds much potential to reveal information about the early history and evolution of the red planet. The MOC Science Team is continuing to examine the wealth of new data and planning for new Valles Marineris targets once the Mapping Phase of the Mars Global Surveyor mission commences in March 1999.Layers exposed near the middle of western Candor Chasma. MOC image 23304 subframe shown at 10.7 meters (35 feet) per pixel. Two layered buttes (upper right and lower right) and a layered or stepped mesa (center right) are shown. The image covers an area approximately 5.5 by 5.5 kilometers (3.4 x 3.4 miles). North is approximately up, illumination is from the lower right. Image 23304 was obtained during Mars Global Surveyor's 233rd orbit at 9:23 a.m. (PDT) on April 11, 1998.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 image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows curious bright deposits in Syria Planum, a high elevation region near the summit of the Tharsis rise. | This image shows curious bright deposits in Syria Planum, a high elevation region near the summit of the Tharsis rise.Syria Planum has a history of surface changes documented in telescopic and low resolution orbital observations since the Viking era. The surface changes result from the relentless deposition and removal of bright dust, as the dust is transported by winds blowing from north to south across the rocky dark surface.Isolated patches where thick dust deposits have accumulated can be identified in THEMIS night-time infrared observations. The dust deposits are cooler (darker) than the rocky surface both in daytime and at night. Our HiRISE image was centered on one of these cold spots to observe the interaction of the dust deposits with local topography.Examining the image shows that the dust here has accumulated into linear arrays of broken ridges spaced about 50 meters apart, and extending from tens to hundreds of meters in length. Dust deposits are visible along the rim of the impact crater but much of the crater's ejecta deposits are strangely dust free.At full resolution, the ridges appear to have a morphology that is clearly distinct from sand dunes and bright transverse aeolian ridges common elsewhere on Mars. Their steep faces are on the upwind side (in the present day wind regime), opposite to the sand dunes. The ridge crests are crenulated, suggesting that the deposits are currently being eroded by the wind. Fine layering is visible in the deposits, possibly indicating an alternation of dust and sand deposition.Deposits such as these hint that while modern Mars is relatively benign, the surface of the planet was battered by much more ferocious winds in the recent past, perhaps during periods of high obliquity.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. | |
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft captured this image in September 2003, showing concentric crater floor deposits in Daedalia Planumon Mars. Lava flows appear to be converging on this crater from the northeast as well as on the crater floor. | Released 3 September 2003Concentric crater floor deposits in Daedalia Planum. Lava flows appear to be converging on this crater from the northeast as well as on the crater floor. The concentric floor deposits may be the result of exposed and eroded layers of sediment that make up the crater floor.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -22.3, Longitude 221.5 East (138.5 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a portion of an unnamed channel in northern Terra Cimmeria. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a portion of an unnamed channel in northern Terra Cimmeria.Orbit Number: 81867 Latitude: -1.64386 Longitude: 123.348 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-05-29 05:53Please 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. | |
Two donut-shaped tracks make an infinity symbol, and mark the first two drives of NASA's Curiosity rover. The landing site is at the far right. | The two donut-shaped tracks make an infinity symbol, and mark the first two drives of NASA's Curiosity rover. The landing site is at the far right. Tracks from the first drive on Aug. 22, 2012 lead away from the landing site and include the donut at right. The second donut was made during the rover's second drive on Aug. 27.
The full-resolution images making up this mosaic were taken by the rover's Navigation camera.
JPL manages the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.For more about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl, http://www.nasa.gov/mars, and http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
Polar layered deposits slopes are quite extensive and partially surround the South polar residual cap as seen in this image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis image, approximately 500 by 500 meters, represents a popular monitoring site; in this case a sample of the South Polar layered deposits (SPLD).These deposits are quite extensive and partially surround the South polar residual cap. In this beautiful enhanced color image we see fractured bedrock partially coated in carbon dioxide frost.HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This annotated overhead image from the HiRISE camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) depicts three options for the agency's Mars Ingenuity Helicopter to take on flights out of the Séítah region. | This annotated overhead image from the HiRISE camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) depicts three options for the agency's Mars Ingenuity Helicopter to take on flights out of the "Séítah" region, as well as the location of the entry, descent, and landing (EDL) hardware. The size and location of the landing ellipses have been analyzed to be safe for landing – free of hazards such as rocks, dunes, and large slopes. See an interactive map with Perseverance and Ingenuity location updates here: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/where-is-the-rover/NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado.The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was built by JPL in Southern California, which also manages the project for NASA Headquarters. It is supported by NASA's Science Mission Directorate. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, and NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, provided significant flight performance analysis and technical assistance during Ingenuity's development. AeroVironment Inc., Qualcomm, and SolAero also provided design assistance and major vehicle components. Lockheed Martin Space designed and manufactured the Mars Helicopter Delivery System. | |
Northern Plains | Image PSP_001373_2460 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 11, 2006. The complete image is centered at 65.9 degrees latitude, 23.3 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 313.3 km (195.8 miles). At this distance the image scale is 31.3 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~94 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:07 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 57 degrees, thus the sun was about 33 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 133.8 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a crater located in Utopia Planitia. | Context imageThis VIS image shows a crater located in Utopia Planitia.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.Orbit Number: 62670 Latitude: 40.0367 Longitude: 86.9845 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-01-30 00:51Please 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. | |
Engineer Mallory Lefland experienced the tension and relief shared by the team on Mars 2020 Perseverance landing day, on Feb. 18, 2021. | Engineer Mallory Lefland experienced the tension and relief shared by the team on Mars 2020 Perseverance landing day, on Feb. 18, 2021. She watched the dramatic entry, descent, and landing from inside a mission support area at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. JPL built and manages operations of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover for NASA.A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.The Mars 2020 mission is part of a larger program that includes missions to the Moon as a way to prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.For more about Perseverance, go to: mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/ or nasa.gov/perseverance. | |
This image shows part of Utopia Plainitia. The dark markings are dust devil tracks and possibly fractures on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA09045Northern TracksThis image shows part of Utopia Plainitia. The dark markings are dust devil tracks and possibly fractures.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 52.5N, Longitude 89.4E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a portion of a sand dune field in the north polar region of Mars. The dunes are covered with frozen carbon dioxide which accumulated over the autumn and winter months. | 19 July 2006This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a portion of a sand dune field in the north polar region of Mars. The dunes are covered with frozen carbon dioxide which accumulated over the autumn and winter months in the northern hemisphere. During the spring, the time at which this image was acquired, the carbon dioxide begins to sublime away, going directly from solid to gas, just as dry ice does here on Earth. The dark spots, streaked by blowing winds, may be places where the frost has been removed (exposing underlying dark sand), places where the grain size or roughness of the frost has increased (increasing shadowing due to the change in texture), or both.Location near: 79.7°N, 148.3°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Spring | |
This view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit taken on Oct 16, 2005 shows where the rover explored Gusev Crater on Mars. | The first explorer ever to scale a summit on another planet, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has begun a long trek downward from the top of "Husband Hill" to new destinations. As shown in this 180-degree panorama from east of the summit, Spirit's earlier tracks are no longer visible. They are off to the west (to the left in this view). Spirit's next destination is "Haskin Ridge," straight ahead along the edge of the steep cliff on the right side of this panorama.The scene is a mosaic of images that Spirit took with the navigation camera on the rover's 635th Martian day, or sol, (Oct. 16, 2005) of exploration of Gusev Crater on Mars. This view is presented in a cylindrical projection with geometric seam correction. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Daedalia Planum, which is comprised of lava flows from Arsia Mons. | Context image This VIS image shows part of Daedalia Planum, which is comprised of lava flows from Arsia Mons. A windstreak is visible at the top of the image, downwind from a small crater.Orbit Number: 66495 Latitude: -15.7413 Longitude: 223.259 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-12-10 02:19Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This polar-projection 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 polar-projection view 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. | |
This image shows with a green dot where NASA's Perseverance rover landed in Jezero Crater on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021. The base image was taken by the HiRISE camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | This image shows with a green dot where NASA's Perseverance rover landed in Jezero Crater on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021. The base image was taken by the HiRISE camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.For more about Perseverance: mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/ | |
This image by NASA's Mars Odyssey illustrates the complex terrains within Terra Meridiani. This general region is one of the more complex on Mars, with a rich array of sedimentary, volcanic, and impact surfaces that span a wide range of Martian history. | (Released 28 June 2002)The ScienceThis THEMIS visible image illustrates the complex terrains within Terra Meridiani. This general region is one of the more complex on Mars, with a rich array of sedimentary, volcanic, and impact surfaces that span a wide range of martian history. This image lies at the eastern edge of a unique geologic unit that was discovered by the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) Science Team to have high concentrations of a unique mineral called grey (crystalline) hematite. As discussed by the TES Science Team, this mineral typically forms by processes associated with water, and this region appears to have undergone alteration by hydrothermal (hot water) or other water-related processes. As a result of this evidence for water activity, this region is a leading candidate for further exploration by one of NASA's upcoming Mars Exploration Rovers. The brightness and texture of the surface varies remarkably throughout this image. These differences are associated with different rock layers or ?units?, and can be used to map the occurrence of these layers. The number of layers indicates that extensive deposition by volcanic and sedimentary processes has occurred in this region. Since that time, however, extensive erosion has occurred to produce the patchwork of different layers exposed across the surface. Several distinct layers can be seen within the ~20 km diameter crater at the bottom (south) of the image, indicating that this crater once contained layers of sedimentary material that has since been removed. THEMIS infrared images of this region show that many of these rock layers have distinctly different temperatures, indicating that the physical properties vary from layer to layer. These differences suggest that the environment and the conditions under which these layers were deposited or solidified varied through time as these layers were formed. The StoryMars exploration is all about following the signs of past or present water on the red planet. That's because water is the key to understanding the history of the Martian environment (climate and geology), the potential for life to have developed there, and the potential for human exploration some day far in the future. All of the missions in the Mars Exploration Program contribute something special to science investigations about water on Mars and complement each other nicely. For instance, take the above image. Given the contrasts, you can tell that this area is pretty complex. You've got a really old crater that's been eroded, and a rich array of volcanic surfaces and layers where material has been deposited through other processes. Now, that might make this area seem like any number of images you've already seen, but this terrain holds special appeal. A science instrument on the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft recently discovered that this area has really high concentrations of a unique mineral called grey (crystalline) hematite. That discovery was REALLY exciting to scientists, because hematite found on Earth typically develops in the presence of water. So, did this region have water on the surface long enough for the mineral to have formed sometime in the past? And if so, could that water have been around long enough for life to have developed at some point? After all, if water was around long enough for this mineral to have formed, then maybe, just maybe . . . . Studies of this area by Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor are helping to pave the way for the Mars Exploration Rovers, which are scheduled to land on Mars in 2004. This alluring, hematite-rich area above is called Terra Meridiani, and is one of the leading candidates among potential landing sites. At least one of the rovers may end up exploring this very terrain! While the rover won't have instruments for detecting signs of past or present life, it will be able to use its science instruments to study the rocks up close and to determine better under what environment conditions they formed. By comparing the rover's surface data with the orbital data, scientists will be able to refine their understanding of the area. Depending on what a rover finds if it lands there, who knows what the long line of future missions to this area might look like? In the meantime, the above THEMIS image will give scientists more opportunities to study this exciting area right now. The brightness and texture of the surface varies remarkably throughout. That's because different rock layers settled on top of one another through a long history of changing environmental conditions before extensive erosion came along to strip layers unevenly away. That's what has produce the patchwork of different exposed layers seen above. Perhaps one layer formed during a wet period of history, and then another layer formed on top of it because of volcanic activity, and then another through wind deposits. Or some other combination. Any future rover fortunate enough to go here will have a field day, as it could potentially study them all! THEMIS's concurrent analyses in the infrared also help in understanding the sequence of layering events through time. THEMIS's infrared studies essentially measure the temperatures of all of the rock layers. Not surprisingly, it turns out that they all have varying temperatures, indicating that the physical properties also differ from layer to layer. By mapping what type of material occurs where, scientists can add to their knowledge of climatic and geologic change through time . . . and maybe have even more to say on the question of water! | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows six global images acquired on February 14, 2003. | The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) began its daily global imaging campaign four years ago, on March 9, 1999. Since that time, slightly more than 2 full Martian years have elapsed, and MOC has obtained a complete daily record of the red planet's ever-changing weather patterns. Observing Mars every day over many years is critical to understanding how to forecast weather that may occur in the future, and MOC is the only U.S. instrument slated to orbit Mars until late 2006 that can provide this information. For example, the MOC team has found that many weather events repeat from one year to the next. Such knowledge is useful in considering where future spacecraft might land on Mars--a site that is known to experience a dust storm each year during the period a lander or rover will be operational might not be a good place to land.The six views of Mars shown here are a composite of the 24 daily global images acquired by MOC on February 14, 2003. At this time, it was the middle of summer in the northern hemisphere, and the middle of winter in the south. Taken together, the six views show the entire planet, its albedo (bright and dark) features, polar frosts, and cloud patterns. Water-ice clouds dominate the martian atmosphere over the tropical and sub-tropical latitudes, while orographically-generated (i.e. those associated with high-standing topography) water-ice clouds hang over each of the large volcanoes of the Tharsis and Elysium regions (see top-left, top-center, bottom-right).In the north polar region, the residual water-ice cap is fully exposed. In the southern hemisphere, the winter-time seasonal carbon dioxide frost cap can be seen, extending from the south pole (which is in darkness and not seen in these images) northward to 50°S latitude. In the deep Hellas Basin (an ancient, giant impact scar seen as the bright elliptical feature at the bottom of the bottom-center image), the winter-time cap extends northward to 31°S because the lower elevation permits carbon dioxide to freeze at slightly higher temperatures than at the high elevations elsewhere in the southern hemisphere.When these pictures were taken on February 14, 2003, dust storm activity was at a minimum and isolated to early morning hours around the edges of the north polar cap. Within a day, however, dust storm activity began to pick up in both hemispheres--as was expected from previous MOC images at this time of year in 1999 and 2001--and dust storms remained active through the rest of February and March. | |
This map, taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's lander, shows the estimated location of the rover within Gusev Crater, Mars. | This map shows the estimated location of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit within Gusev Crater, Mars. Measurements taken during the rover's descent by the Deep Space Network predicted its landing site to be the spot marked with a black cross. Later measurements taken on the ground by both the Deep Space Network and the orbiter Mars Odyssey narrowed the predicted landing site to a spot marked with a white cross. When initially choosing a landing site for the rover, engineers avoided hazardous craters outlined here in yellow and red. This map consists of data taken during Spirit's descent by the descent image motion estimation system located at the bottom of the rover. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows an unnamed crater in Noachis Terra. This crater has a pit in the center of the floor of the crater. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows an unnamed crater in Noachis Terra. This crater has a pit in the center of the floor of the crater. Craters can have several different features at this location, including a peak, a pit, or a smooth floor.Orbit Number: 59099 Latitude: -27.2598 Longitude: 347.826 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-04-10 22:06Please 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. | |
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope took this view of Mars taking advantage of the space-based observatory's close approach to Mars, centering on the region known as Tharsis, home of the largest volcanoes in the solar system. | Taking advantage of Mars's closest approach to Earth in eight years, astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have taken the space-based observatory's sharpest views yet of the Red Planet. NASA is releasing these images to commemorate the second anniversary of the Mars Pathfinder landing. The lander and its rover, Sojourner, touched down on the Red Planet's rolling hills on July 4, 1997, embarking on an historic three-month mission to gather information on the planet's atmosphere, climate, and geology.The telescope's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 snapped images between April 27 and May 6, when Mars was 54 million miles (87 million kilometers) from Earth. From this distance the telescope could see Martian features as small as 12 miles (19 kilometers) wide. The telescope obtained four images(see PIA01587), which, together, show the entire planet.This image is centered on the region of the planet known as Tharsis, home of the largest volcanoes in the solar system. The bright, ring-like feature just to the left of center is the volcano Olympus Mons, which is more than 340 miles (550 kilometers) across and 17 miles(27 kilometers) high. Thick deposits of fine-grained, windblown dust cover most of this hemisphere. The colors indicate that the dust is heavily oxidized ("rusted"), and millions (or perhaps billions) of years of dust storms have homogenized its composition. Prominent late afternoon clouds along the right limb of the planet can be seen.This color composite is generated from data using three filters: blue (410 nanometers), green (502 nanometers), and red (673 nanometers). | |
This graphic shows the variation of radiation dose measured by the Radiation Assessment Detector on NASA's Curiosity rover over about 50 sols, or Martian days, on Mars. | This graphic shows the variation of radiation dose measured by the Radiation Assessment Detector on NASA's Curiosity rover over about 50 sols, or Martian days, on Mars. (On Earth, Sol 10 was Aug. 15 and Sol 60 was Oct. 6, 2012.) The dose rate of charged particles was measured using silicon detectors and is shown in black. The total dose rate (from both charged particles and neutral particles) was measured using a plastic scintillator and is shown in red. The variations occur each day and also on longer timescales. The daily variations are driven by the thickness of the Mars atmosphere. The longer-term variations appear to be driven by the structure of the gas and plasma in the interplanetary space near Mars. This structure, called the heliosphere, is magnetically tied to the sun, and rotates together with the sun over a period of about 27 days. The density of this heliospheric structure, as seen at Mars, varies with a roughly 27-day period, and provides "shielding" from galactic cosmic rays outside the solar system, in much the same way that the Mars atmosphere provides shielding.The graphic has a few gaps for software uploads and other mission priorities. Radiation dose is given in arbitrary units to reflect the magnitude of the variations. Calibration of the absolute dose levels is ongoing.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the rover. For more information about Curiosity and its mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows dunes on the floor of an unnamed crater in Terra Sirenum on Mars. | Context imageThis VIS image shows dunes on the floor of an unnamed crater in Terra Sirenum.Orbit Number: 51276 Latitude: -61.5213 Longitude: 199.775 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-07-06 00:39Please 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 extended robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity can be seen in this mosaic of full-resolution images from Curiosity's Navigation camera (Navcam). Curiosity extended its arm on Aug. 20, 2012. | The extended robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity can be seen in this mosaic of full-resolution images from Curiosity's Navigation camera (Navcam). Curiosity extended its arm on Aug. 20, 2012. The 7-foot-long (2.1-meter-long) arm maneuvers a turret of tools including a camera, a drill, a spectrometer, a scoop and mechanisms for sieving and portioning samples of powdered rock and soil.This mosaic is made using three images projected in a perspective view, which means the images are combined to appear as if they were taken from a single, larger camera.A thumbnail version is available at PIA15692.Curiosity landed on Mars on Aug. 5 PDT (Aug. 6 EDT) to begin its two-year mission, using 10 instruments to assess whether a carefully chosen study area inside Gale Crater has ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project, including Curiosity, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL
designed and built the rover. The Space Division of MDA Information Systems Inc. built the robotic arm in Pasadena.
For more about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl, http://www.nasa.gov/mars, and
http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
This image released on Nov 9, 2004 from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows collapse pits in an area of 'sulci' ridges east of Olympus Mons on Mars. Graben cut the ridges, and one graben hosts the collapse pits. | We will be looking at collapse pits for the next two weeks. Collapse pits on Mars are formed in serveral ways. In volcanic areas, channelized lava flows can form roofs which insulate the flowing lava. These features are termed lava tubes on Earth and are common features in basaltic flows. After the lava has drained, parts of the roof of the tube will collapse under its own weight. These collapse pits will only be as deep as the bottom of the original lava tube. Another type of collapse feature associated with volcanic areas arises when very large eruptions completely evacuate the magma chamber beneath the volcano. The weight of the volcano will cause the entire ediface to subside into the void space below it. Structural features including fractures and graben will form during the subsidence. Many times collapse pits will form within the graben. In addition to volcanic collapse pits, Mars has many collapse pits formed when volatiles (such as subsurface ice) are released from the surface layers. As the volatiles leave, the weight of the surrounding rock causes collapse pits to form.These collapse pits are found in an area of "sulci" ridges east of Olympus Mons. Graben cut the ridges, and one graben hosts the collapse pits. It is likely that these collapse pits are related to volatile release from material that filled the lows at some point after graben formation.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 18.6, Longitude 234.6 East (125.4 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 fine-grained material inside the Robotic Arm scoop as seen by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander on June 25, 2008. Fine, fluffy, red soil particles were collected in a sample called 'Rosy Red.' | This image shows fine-grained material inside the Robotic Arm scoop as seen by the Robotic Arm Camera (RAC) aboard NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander on June 25, 2008, the 30th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.The image shows fine, fluffy, red soil particles collected in a sample called 'Rosy Red.' The sample was dug from the trench named 'Snow White' in the area called 'Wonderland.' Some of the Rosy Red sample was delivered to Phoenix's Optical Microscope and Wet Chemistry Laboratory for analysis.The RAC provides its own illumination, so the color seen in RAC images is color as seen on Earth, not color as it would appear on Mars. The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.Photojournal Note: As planned, the Phoenix lander, which landed May 25, 2008 23:53 UTC, ended communications in November 2008, about six months after landing, when its solar panels ceased operating in the dark Martian winter. | |
The 'Big Crater' is actually a relatively small Martian crater to the southeast of NASA's Mars Pathfinder landing site. It is 1500 meters (4900 feet) in diameter, or about the same size as Meteor Crater in Arizona. Sol 1 began on July 4, 1997. | The "Big Crater" is actually a relatively small Martian crater to the southeast of the Mars Pathfinder landing site. It is 1500 meters (4900 feet) in diameter, or about the same size as Meteor Crater in Arizona. Superimposed on the rim of Big Crater (the central part of the rim as seen here) is a smaller crater nicknamed "Rimshot Crater." The distance to this smaller crater, and the nearest portion of the rim of Big Crater, is 2200 meters (7200 feet). To the right of Big Crater, south from the spacecraft, almost lost in the atmospheric dust "haze," is the large streamlined mountain nicknamed "Far Knob." This mountain is over 450 meters (1480 feet) tall, and is over 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the spacecraft. Another, smaller and closer knob, nicknamed "Southeast Knob" can be seen as a triangular peak to the left of the flanks of the Big Crater rim. This knob is 21 kilometers (13 miles) southeast from the spacecraft.The larger features visible in this scene - Big Crater, Far Knob, and Southeast Knob - were discovered on the first panoramas taken by the IMP camera on the 4th of July, 1997, and subsequently identified in Viking Orbiter images taken over 20 years ago. The scene includes rocky ridges and swales or "hummocks" of flood debris that range from a few tens of meters away from the lander to the distance of South Twin Peak. The largest rock in the nearfield, just left of center in the foreground, nicknamed "Otter," is about 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) long and 10 meters (33 feet) from the spacecraft.This view of Big Crater was produced by combining 6 individual "Superpan" scenes from the left and right eyes of the IMP camera. Each frame consists of 8 individual frames (left eye) and 7 frames (right eye) taken with different color filters that were enlarged by 500% and then co-added using Adobe Photoshop to produce, in effect, a super-resolution panchromatic frame that is sharper than an individual frame would be.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 a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The IMP was developed by the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory under contract to JPL. Peter Smith is the Principal Investigator.
Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998. |
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