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NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | 25 February 2004 Gullies cut material that mantles the slopes of a deep pit within a crater in Noachis Terra near 50.1°S, 356.4°W in this Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image. Gully channels seem to originate at layer outcrops in the upper walls of the pit. These may have formed by downslope movement of liquid water mixed with debris in the geologically recent martian past. Similar gullies are found throughout much of the martian middle and high latitudes. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left; the picture covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows Cavi Angusti, located near the south polar cap, consists of large irregular steep-sided depressions termed cavi. | Context imageCavi Angusti is located near the south polar cap and consists of large irregular steep-sided depressions termed cavi. This VIS image is located in the center of the region. Both layering and gullies are visible in the center of the image.Orbit Number: 84258 Latitude: -81.3436 Longitude: 292.109 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-12-12 02:21Please 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 set of images from cameras on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter documents the appearance of a new cluster of impact craters on Mars. The orbiter has imaged at least 248 fresh craters, or crater clusters, on Mars. | This set of images from cameras on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter documents the appearance of a new cluster of impact craters on Mars. The orbiter has imaged at least 248 fresh craters, or crater clusters, on Mars.The two upper images are from the orbiter's Context Camera (CTX). The upper-right image, taken on May 24, 2011, shows a dark patch at the center that is not present in the upper-left image, taken Aug. 15, 2010. The scale bar on each of these two images is 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles). The location on Mars is 4.472 degrees north latitude, 246.893 degrees east longitude. Due to the dust blanketing the ground in this region, impacts produce a dark-looking blast zone where the dust is disturbed.Researchers investigated the new dark spot with the orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera, obtaining the lower image showing a cluster of small, fresh craters. The scale bar on this image is 100 meters (328 feet).This set of images is from in a paper in the journal Icarus in which researchers report an estimated crater-forming rate of about 200 impacts per year on Mars producing craters at least 12.8 feet (3.9 meters) in diameter. More than half of the impacts in this size range result in clusters rather than single craters. Small asteroids and fragments of comets that would be too small to get through Earth's atmosphere can excavate craters on Mars because Mars has much less atmosphere than Earth.Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates CTX. The University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory 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 for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the orbiter. | |
This video from July 1, 2021, shows scenes from the longest autonomous drive yet for NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, which landed on Feb. 18, 2021. | Click here for animationThis video from July 1, 2021 (the 130th sol, or Martian day, of its mission), shows scenes from the longest autonomous drive yet for NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, which landed on Feb. 18, 2021. At the beginning of the traverse on Sol 130, the rover's engineers manually drove past NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. Then the rover began driving autonomously, avoiding hazards and traveling 358 feet (109 meters) on its own.One of the rover's Navigation Cameras took the images about once every 16 feet (5 meters). They were processed to enhance the contrast. 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).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.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.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California built and manages operations of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover for NASA.For more information about the mission, go to: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020 | |
The unnamed crater is filled with a large amount of sand, the surface of which has been sculpted into dune forms. This type of crater fill is common at high latitude. This image is from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageThe unnamed crater is filled with a large amount of sand, the surface of which has been sculpted into dune forms. This type of crater fill is common at high latitude.Orbit Number: 45903 Latitude: 74.32 Longitude: 319.601 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-04-19 21:10Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image mosaic of part of the 'Rock Garden' was taken by NASA's Sojourner rover's left front camera on Sol 71. The rock 'Shark' is at left center and 'Half Dome' is at right. Sol 1 began on July 4, 1997. | This image mosaic of part of the "Rock Garden" was taken by the Sojourner rover's left front camera on Sol 71 (September 14). The rock "Shark" is at left center and "Half Dome" is at right. Fine-scale textures on the rocks are clearly seen. Broken crust-like material is visible at bottom center.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).
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. | |
The eastern rim of this unnamed crater in Claritas Fossae is very degraded, as seen in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey, indicating that it's very ancient and has been subjected to erosion and bombardment from impactors such as asteroids and comets. | (Released 20 June 2002)The ScienceThe eastern rim of this unnamed crater in Claritas Fossae is very degraded. This indicates that this crater is very ancient and has been subjected to erosion and subsequent bombardment from other impactors such as asteroids and comets. One of these later (younger) craters is seen in the upper right of this image superimposed upon the older crater rim material. Note that this smaller younger crater rim is sharper and more intact than the older crater rim. This region is also mantled with a blanket of dust. This dust mantle causes the underlying topography to take on a more subdued appearance.The Story Not every crater on Mars has a name. The one in this image doesn't. What would you name it if you could?That's what planetary scientists ask themselves when they come across such features. If they think of a good name, they can submit it for approval to a group of world astronomers who are members of the International Astronomical Union. There are special rules, though, so not any name can be selected. The selection committee especially wants to make sure that all world cultures are represented.While this crater may not have a name, the region it lies in does. It is called Claritas Fossae. "Claritas" is the Latin word for "bright." "Fossae" are long, narrow, shallow depressions that mark the region. You can see these best in the context image to the right.You can tell just by looking at this crater that it is very ancient. Its rim is very degraded from erosion and bombardment from other impactors such as asteroids and comets. Compare its roughened rim to the smoother outline of the small crater on the rim's edge (upper right). The smoother rim of the small one means that it is considerably younger than its older, choppier neighbor. You know it was certainly created after the large crater because it lies on top of the rim.Other than the old and young generations of craters, the surface looks pretty uniform in hue and perhaps even a little dull. That's because a coating of dust lies over the area, masking some of the contrasts in terrain that might lie beneath. | |
This red-hued color image taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the part of the rock outcrop dubbed Stone Mountain at Meridiani Planum, Mars. | This color image taken by the panoramic camera onboard the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the part of the rock outcrop dubbed Stone Mountain at Meridiani Planum, Mars. Scientists are examining Stone Mountain with the instruments on the rover's instrument deployment device, or "arm," in search of clues about the composition of the rock outcrop.A Patch of Stone (Figure credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/USGS)The colorless square in this color image of the martian rock formation called Stone Mountain is one portion of the rock being analyzed with tools on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's instrument deployment device, or "arm." The square area is approximately 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across. Stone Mountain is located within the rock outcrop on Meridiani Planum, Mars. The image was taken by the rover's panoramic camera. | |
This image acquired on December 9, 2018 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows a recent impact in Noachis Terra in the southern mid-latitudes of Mars. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionThis image shows a recent impact in Noachis Terra in the southern mid-latitudes of Mars. The impact occurred in dark-toned ejecta material from a degraded, 60-kilometer crater to the south. Rather than a single impact crater, we see multiple impacts like a shotgun blast. This suggests that the impactor broke up in the atmosphere on entry. Although the atmosphere of Mars is thinner than Earth's, it still has the capacity to break up small impactors, especially ones comprised of weaker materials, like a stony meteoroid versus a iron-nickel one. Our image depicts 21 distinctive craters ranging in size from 1 to 7 meters in diameter. They are distributed over an area that spans about 305 meters. Most observed recent impacts expose darker-toned materials underlying bright dusty surfaces. However, this impact does the opposite, showing us lighter-toned materials that lie beneath a darker colored surface.The impact was initially discovered in a 2016 Context Camera image, and was not seen in a 2009 picture. This implies that the impact may be only two years old, but certainly no more than nine years. The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 25.5 centimeters (10.0 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning); objects on the order of 77 centimeters (30.3 inches) across are resolved.] North is up.This is a stereo pair with ESP_049175_1490.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. | |
Proposed MSL Site in West Candor | Click on image for larger versionThis HiRISE image (PSP_003263_1740) of proposed landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) in West Candor.Observation Toolbox Acquisition date: 4 April 2007Local Mars time: 3:35 PMDegrees latitude (centered): -5.8°Degrees longitude (East): 284.2°Range to target site: 265.3 km (165.8 miles)Original image scale range: 26.5 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~80 cm across are resolvedMap-projected scale: 25 cm/pixel and north is upMap-projection: EQUIRECTANGULAREmission angle: 9.5°Phase angle: 63.1°Solar incidence angle: 54°, with the Sun about 36° above the horizonSolar longitude: 214.8°, Northern AutumnNASA'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 captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a transition from depressed to inverted channels in the Gorgonum Basin. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis image shows a transition from depressed to inverted channels in the Gorgonum Basin. In the darker terrain, there are two channels that display depressed topography. As these two channels cross into the underlying brighter terrain, the channels now stand above the surrounding area, indicating they are inverted in topography.This change from depressed to inverted topography is the result of what is called "differential erosion." The channel may contain hardened sediments or have cements that make it more resistant to erosion relative to the darker terrain that once flowed through it. As a result, erosion has removed the less resistant upper darker terrain, leaving behind the more resistant channel standing above the underlying bright terrain.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. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this image of a large-size, light tone and sugary surface texture, 6.6-foot-wide rock called 'Mazatzal' on March 21, 2004. | NASA's Spirit took this navigation camera image of the 2-meter-wide (6.6-foot-wide) rock called "Mazatzal" on sol 76, March 21, 2004. Scientists intend to aggressively analyze this target with Spirit's microscopic imager, Moessbauer spectrometer and alpha particle X-ray spectrometer before brushing and "digging in" with the rock abrasion tool on upcoming sols.Mazatzal stood out to scientists because of its large size, light tone and sugary surface texture. It is the largest rock the team has seen at the rim of the crater informally named "Bonneville." It is lighter-toned than previous rock targets Adirondack and Humphrey. Its scalloped pattern may be a result of wind sculpting, a very slow process in which wind-transported silt and sand abrade the rock's surface, creating depressions. This leads scientists to believe that Mazatzal may have been exposed to the wind in this location for an extremely long time.The name "Mazatzal" comes from a mountain range and rock formation that was deposited around 1.2 billion years ago in the Four Peaks area of Arizona. | |
This image captured by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) in 2005 shows 'Galle Crater' or the 'Happy Face Crater' with patches of white water ice frost in and around the crater's south-facing slopes. | Smile! Spring has sprung in the martian southern hemisphere. With it comes the annual retreat of the winter polar frost cap. This view of "Happy Face Crater"--officially named "Galle Crater"--shows patches of white water ice frost in and around the crater's south-facing slopes. Slopes that face south will retain frost longer than north-facing slopes because they do not receive as much sunlight in early spring. This picture is a composite of images taken by the Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) red and blue wide angle cameras. The wide angle cameras were designed to monitor the changing weather, frost, and wind patterns on Mars. Galle Crater is located on the east rim of the Argyre Basin and is about 215 kilometers (134 miles) across. In this picture, illumination is from the upper left and north is up.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 NASA Mars Odyssey image shows parts of the dissected and eroded remnants of an impact crater rim and volcanic material located north of Apollinaris Patera near the southern highlands - northern lowlands dichotomy on Mars. | This THEMIS image shows parts of the dissected and eroded remnants of an impact crater rim and volcanic material located north of Apollinaris Patera near the southern highlands - northern lowlands dichotomy on Mars. The rugged terrain observed in the context image of the region has been interpreted as lava flows interbedded with eolian or volcanic pyroclastics while the more smooth terrain has been interpreted as ancient channel deposits. The high resolution THEMIS image shows the effects of erosion on these materials as parts of the rim have been dissected into a chaotic terrain. Smaller and heavily eroded impact craters are also observed in the image and are evidence of the powerful effects of erosion.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 close-up view shows Curiosity's heat shield, which helped the rover survive the harrowing journey through the Martian atmosphere, on the surface of Mars. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter about 24 hours after landing. | This close-up view shows Curiosity's heat shield, which helped the rover survive the harrowing journey through the Martian atmosphere, on the surface of Mars. The image was captured by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter about 24 hours after landing. When the object hit the ground, bright dust at the surface was churned up, exposing darker material underneath.This image was acquired from a special 41-degree roll of MRO, larger than the normal 30-degree limit. It rolled towards the west and towards the sun, which increases visible scattering by atmospheric dust as well as the amount of atmosphere the orbiter has to look through, thereby reducing the contrast of surface features. Future images will show the hardware in greater detail. Our view is tilted about 45 degrees from the surface (more than the 41-degree roll due to planetary curvature), like a view out of an airplane window. Tilt the images 90 degrees clockwise to see the surface better from this perspective. The views are primarily of the shadowed side of the rover and other objects.The image scale is 39 centimeters (15.3 inches) per pixel.Complete HiRISE image products are available at: http://uahirise.org/releases/msl-descent.php.HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the orbiter's HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a section of Bahram Vallis. This channel is located in northern Lunae Planum, south of Kasei Valles. | Context image Today's VIS image shows a section of Bahram Vallis. This channel is located in northern Lunae Planum, south of Kasei Valles.Orbit Number: 71256 Latitude: 21.0762 Longitude: 301.486 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-01-06 08:51Please 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. | |
Southern Layered Mound and Floor in Gale Crater | Click on image for larger versionThis HiRISE image (PSP_002464_1745) shows the interior of Gale Crater, a region being considered as a landing site for the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory.Gale is distinguished from many other craters on Mars by a large interior layered mound that extends to the height of the crater rim. The top part of this image contains portions of the southeast part of the mound, with the bottom part showing details of the crater floor. The mound material here is exposed as several distinct smaller hills. Close up, the hills show abundant rocks and debris aprons on their flanks, lacking distinct bedrock layers seen elsewhere on Mars. This suggests that the mound material is friable and easily eroded by the wind over time.Other evidence of wind activity includes bright bedforms near the top of the image and dark bedforms and sand sheets at bottom. Between the hills and dark sand are a series of stacked stratigraphic units. Polygons are seen in some of the units, indicating contraction due to water loss, cooling, or some other process. Many of the polygons seem highly fractured.Possible crossbeds are seen in some of the rock exposures near the bottom of the image. This and other images of Gale will be studied over the coming months and years in order to better understand the geology and further assess the potential as a future landing site.Observation Toolbox Acquisition date: 2 February 2007Local Mars time: 3:42 PMDegrees latitude (centered): -5.5°Degrees longitude (East): 138.1°Range to target site: 268.3 km (167.7 miles)Original image scale range: 26.8 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~81 cm across are resolvedMap-projected scale: 25 cm/pixel and north is upMap-projection: EQUIRECTANGULAREmission angle: 3.1°Phase angle: 58.9°Solar incidence angle: 56°, with the Sun about 34° above the horizonSolar longitude: 178.1°, Northern SummerNASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
Moving eastward across the southern part of Gale Crater, this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the easternmost arc of the channel deposit at the far left edge. Towards the bottom of the frame are sand dunes. | Context imageDuring the month of April Mars will be in conjunction relative to the Earth. This means the Sun is in the line-of-sight between Earth and Mars, and communication between the two planets is almost impossible. For conjunction, the rovers and orbiting spacecraft at Mars continue to operate, but do not send the data to Earth. This recorded data will be sent to Earth when Mars moves away from the sun and the line-of-sight between Earth and Mars is reestablished. During conjunction the THEMIS image of the day will be a visual tour of Gale Crater, the location of the newest rover Curiosity. Moving eastward across the southern part of Gale Crater, this image shows the easternmost arc of the channel deposit at the far left edge. Towards the bottom of the frame are sand dunes. Unlike the dunes on the western and eastern sides of Mt. Sharp, these dunes are located near the rim, rather than margin of Mt. Sharp.Orbit Number: 37660 Latitude: -5.841 Longitude: 137.501 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-06-11 04:38 Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit the rover's view of the martian landscape from its position 1 meter (3 feet) northwest of the lander. | JPL engineers played Baha Men's "Who Let the Dogs Out" in the control room as they watched new images confirming that the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit successfully rolled off its lander platform early Thursday morning. This image from the rover's front hazard identification camera shows the rover's view of the martian landscape from its new position 1 meter (3 feet) northwest of the lander. One of the rover's next tasks will be to locate the Sun with its panoramic camera and calculate from the Sun's position how to point its main antenna toward Earth. | |
Perseverance snapped this view of a hill called Santa Cruz on April 29, 2021. | NASA's Perseverance Mars rover snapped this view of a hill in Mars' Jezero Crater called "Santa Cruz" on April 29, 2021, the 68th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. About 20 inches (50 centimeters) across on average, the boulders in the foreground are among the type of rocks the rover team has named "Ch'al" (the Navajo term for "frog" and pronounced "chesh"). Perseverance will return to the area in the next week or so.Composed of multiple images, this enhanced-color mosaic was created using the left- and right-eye views of Perseverance's Mastcam-Z camera system, merging the scene into a single, wider view. Santa Cruz hill is a possible eroded remnant of Jezero Crater's western delta. The hill is about 164 feet (50 meters) tall and was roughly 1.6 miles (2.5 kilometers) east of the rover when the photo was taken, viewed from "Van Zyl Overlook." 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.The Mastcam-Z investigation is led and operated by Arizona State University in Tempe, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, California, on the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of the cameras, and in collaboration with the Neils Bohr Institute of the University of Copenhagen on the design, fabrication, and testing of the calibration targets.For more about Perseverance:mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/nasa.gov/perseverance | |
This 3-D cylindrical-perspective mosaic was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit captured on on sol 121. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image. | This three-dimensional view in a cylindrical-perspective projection was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 121 (May 6, 2004). Continuing its trek toward the "Columbia Hills," Spirit drove 96.8 meters (318 feet) -- half of which was performed in auto-navigation mode -- and broke its record for the longest distance traveled in one sol. That drive brought the mission total to 1,669 meters (1.04 miles), flipping the rover's odometer over the one-mile mark.See PIA05884 for left eye view and PIA05885 for right eye view of this 3-D cylindrical-perspective projection. | |
This map shows the path on Mars of NASA's Curiosity rover toward Glenelg, an area where three terrains of scientific interest converge. Arrows mark what appears to be an ancient Martian streambed. | This map shows the path on Mars of NASA's Curiosity rover toward Glenelg, an area where three terrains of scientific interest converge. Arrows mark geological features encountered so far that led to the discovery of what appears to be an ancient Martian streambed. The first site, dubbed Goulburn, is an area where the thrusters from the rover's descent stage blasted away a layer of loose material, exposing bedrock underneath. Goulburn gave scientists a hint that water might have transported the pebbly sandstone material making up the outcrop. The second feature, a naturally exposed rock outcrop named Link, stood out to the science team for its embedded, rounded gravel pieces. Such rounded shapes are strong evidence of water transport. The final feature, another naturally exposed rock outcrop named Hottah, offered the most compelling evidence yet of an ancient stream, as it contains abundant rounded pebbles. The grain sizes are also an important part of the evidence for water: the rounded pebbles, which are up to 1.6 inches (4 centimeters) in size, are too large to have been transported by wind.The image used for the map is from an observation of the landing site by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.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. | |
The ridge in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows Mars' Tharsis region (called Uranius Dorsum) reminds one of a skeletal spine. | Context imageThe ridge in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the Tharsis region (called Uranius Dorsum) reminds one of a skeletal spine.Orbit Number: 47664 Latitude: 22.1827 Longitude: 282.689 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-09-11 20:08Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Spirit's View on Sol 399 (Polar) | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to capture this view during the rover's 399th martian day, or sol, (Feb. 15, 2005). An attempted drive on that sol did not gain any ground toward nearby "Larry's Lookout" because of slippage that churned the soil on the slope. Spirit used its alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to examine the churned soil. This view is presented in a polar projection with geometric seam correction. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey covers a portion of the Medusa Fossae formation, near the equator of Mars. The most characteristic feature of the Medusa Fossae formation is the abundance of 'yardangs,' which are erosional landforms carved by wind. | (Released 29 July 2002)This THEMIS visible image covers a portion of the Medusa Fossae formation, near the equator of Mars. The most characteristic feature of the Medusa Fossae formation is the abundance of "yardangs," which are erosional landforms carved by the wind. These features usually form in a linear fashion, and can be indicators of prevailing paleowind directions. On Earth, yardangs are typically found in rocks that are easily eroded, such as those that form from consolidated volcanic ash, dust-fall deposits or lake sediments.In this particular area of Medusa Fossae, the size, spacing, and orientation of the yardangs varies throughout the image. The largest form a stripe across the center of the image, while the smallest are found in the top half of the image (look closely). The small yardangs at the very top of the image are oriented NW-SE; however, the orientation changes to NE-SW near the bright ridge in the center of the image. The variation in size and orientation appears to correspond with topographic layers, and may be due either to differences in consolidation or changes in wind strength or direction as the yardangs were formed. Finally, the terrain in the lower third of the image appears etched or pitted, and was probably also formed by wind erosion. | |
This mosaic taken by NASA's Mars Curiosity rover looks uphill at Mount Sharp. The scene has been white-balanced so the colors of the rock materials resemble how they would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth. | This mosaic taken by NASA's Mars Curiosity rover looks uphill at Mount Sharp, which Curiosity has been climbing. Spanning the center of the image is an area with clay-bearing rocks that scientists are eager to explore; it could shed additional light on the role of water in creating Mount Sharp. The mosaic was assembled from dozens of images taken by Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam). It was taken on Sol 1931 back in January.Mount Sharp stands in the middle of Gale Crater, which is 96 miles (154 kilometers) in diameter. This mound, which Curiosity has been climbing since 2014, likely formed in the presence of water at various points of time in Mars ancient history. That makes it an ideal place to study how water influenced the habitability of Mars billions of years ago.The scene has been white-balanced so the colors of the rock materials resemble how they would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth.Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates the Mastcam. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA s Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover. More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/.Photojournal Note: Also available is the full resolution TIFF file PIA22313_full.tif. This file may be too large to view from a browser; it can be downloaded onto your desktop by right-clicking on the previous link and viewed with image viewing software. | |
An impact crater in Isidis Planitia observed for a fifth time by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis recent observation is the fifth time we've imaged this spot on Mars. We often re-image spots on the surface to search for, or track changes, due to active processes, such as migrating sand dunes.In this case, there isn't any known activity, although careful comparison of the images could show changes. Instead, we acquired these pictures at a range of viewing and illumination angles as an experiment to try to extract new information at the limits of image resolution. This is possible in two ways: by seeing the 3D shapes from different illumination and viewing angles, and, after orthorectification of the images, by combining them into a "super-resolution" image. (Orthorectification shows how the sloping surface appears from directly overhead).This location is also the site of an early candidate for location of the Beagle 2 lander based on an image from the Mars Global Surveyor. HiRISE has acquired 24 other images covering most of the expected Beagle-2 landing ellipse, but no clear evidence for Beagle 2 has been reported.HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This polar-projection mosaic was created from images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired May 8, 2004.The rover was on its way to the 'Columbia Hills,' which can be seen on the horizon. | This polar-projection view was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 123 (May 8, 2004). Spirit is sitting at site 44. The rover is on the way to the "Columbia Hills," which can be seen on the horizon. To this point, Spirit has driven a total of 1,830 meters (1.14 miles). The hills are less than 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) away, and the rover might reach them by mid-June. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a dark, layered scarp in the martian north polar region. All of the light-toned surfaces are covered by frost left over from the previous winter. | 11 August 2004Acquired just last week on 3 August 2004, this Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a dark, layered scarp in the martian north polar region. All of the light-toned surfaces in this image are covered by frost left over from the previous winter. On the scarp, about half of the surfaces once covered by frost are now exposed (as the frost has sublimed away), leaving a large number of bright patches. These patches of frost enhance the appearance of layering on the slopes. This image is located near 81.8°N, 84.4°W. The image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide, and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on April 23, 2004 shows craters in the Noachis Terra Region in the southern hemisphere of Mars. | Released 23 April 2004The image you see before you was taken in the Noachis Terra Region in the Southern hemisphere of Mars. The two most prominent features in this photo are the relatively large impact craters, one located towards the top of the image, and one located in the lower area. This image was chosen for this particular MSIP project because the area was in a rocky region that was in located within latitudes known to have gully formations in the walls of local craters. Therefore, the craters appeared to be likely candidates to try and determine if gully formation in crater walls are more likely to form on the pole or equator-facing wall of the crater.Our team, from the Klein High School Astronomy Club, included four students--two sophomores, a junior, and a senior, plus our club astronomer/teacher, and our sponsor. As part of the astronomy club, the team is all volunteer, and is involved in other astronomical activities in the community. We are from Klein, Texas, which is a suburb of Houston, Texas.Three returning team members are participating in our MSIP project again this year.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -30.5, Longitude 356.1 East (3.9 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.NASA and Arizona State University's Mars Education Program is offering students nationwide the opportunity to be involved in authentic Mars research by participating in the Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP). Teams of students in grades 5 through college sophomore level have the opportunity to work with scientists, mission planners and educators on the THEMIS team at ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility, to image a site on Mars using the THEMIS visible wavelength camera. For more information go to the MSIP website: http://msip.asu.edu.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The upper image is a radargram showing data from the subsurface of Mars in the ice-rich layered deposits that surround the south pole. The lower image shows the position of the ground track (white line) on a topographic map | Annotated VersionThe upper image is a radargram from the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS), showing data from the subsurface of Mars in the ice-rich layered deposits that surround the south pole. The lower image shows the position of the ground track (white line) on a topographic map of the area based on Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter data. The images are 1,580 kilometers (980 miles) wide. The MARSIS echo trace splits into two traces near the left edge of the image, at the point where the ground track crosses from the surrounding plains onto the elevated layered deposits. The upper trace is the echo from the surface of the deposits, while the lower trace is interpreted to be the boundary between the lower surface of the deposits and the underlying material. The strength of the lower echo suggests that the intervening material is nearly pure water ice. Near the image center, several bright bands between the echo traces are likely caused by interaction of the radar waves with internal layers of the deposits. The time delay between the upper and lower traces in the banded area is 20 microseconds, corresponding to a thickness of 1.6 kilometers (1.0 miles) of ice. The total elevation difference shown in the topographic map is about 3 kilometers (2.5 miles) between the lowest surface (dark blue) and the highest (yellow). MARSIS is an instrument on the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter. NASA and the Italian Space Agency jointly funded the instrument. The Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter flew on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. | |
This microscopic image was taken at the outcrop region dubbed 'El Capitan' near NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site reveals millimeter-scale layers running horizontally. | This microscopic image, taken at the outcrop region dubbed "El Capitan" near the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site, reveals millimeter-scale (.04 inch-scale) layers in the lower portion. This same layering is hinted at by the fine notches that run horizontally across the sphere-like grain or "blueberry" in the center left. The thin layers do not appear to deform around the blueberry, indicating that these geologic features are concretions and not impact spherules or ejected volcanic material called lapilli. Concretions are balls of minerals that form in pre-existing wet sediments. This image was taken by the rover's microscopic imager on the 29th martian day, or sol, of its mission. The observed area is about 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across. | |
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 image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows dunes on the floor of Moreux 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 dunes on the floor of Moreux Crater.Orbit Number: 10384 Latitude: 41.841 Longitude: 44.087 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2004-04-17 10:07Please 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. | |
The sand sheet and dunes in this image, taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft, are located on the floor of Juventae Chasma. | Context imageThe sand sheet and dunes in this VIS image are located on the floor of Juventae Chasma.Orbit Number: 35845Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the broken, platy texture of flow surfaces in the Zephyria region of Mars. Small craters formed on these surfaces, and some of them have boulders in their ejecta. | 22 October 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows the broken, platy texture of flow surfaces in the Zephyria region of Mars. Some investigators have suggested that these materials represent the remains of an ice-covered lake; others suggest that these are the surfaces of hardened lava that -- when it was erupting -- was very hot and fluid. Although not illustrated here, a key piece of evidence against the ice-covered lake hypothesis is that there are some small craters formed on these surfaces (one can be seen in the lower left/southwest corner), and some of them have boulders in their ejecta. The boulders indicate that the material is rock-solid.Location near: 5.3°N, 208.6°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Autumn | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows pitted terrain northeast of Hellas Basin on Mars shows light-toned outcrops of layered, sedimentary rock, and a valley floor covered by large, dark ripples or small dunes. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-446, 8 August 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image of pitted terrain northeast of Hellas Basin shows light-toned outcrops of layered, sedimentary rock, and a valley floor covered by large, dark ripples or small dunes. Similar light-toned sedimentary materials are found throughout the region immediately northeast of Hellas, and in the crater, Terby. The area shown is 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and located near 27.5°S, 281.7°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the extensive dune field on the floor of Proctor Crater. Proctor Crater is located in Noachis Terra. | Context imageThis VIS image shows part of the extensive dune field on the floor of Proctor Crater. Proctor Crater is located in Noachis Terra.Orbit Number: 74883 Latitude: -47.6285 Longitude: 30.2768 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-11-01 03:03Please 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 mosaic was created by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 93 (April 7, 2004). It reveals the martian view from Spirit's position during the four-sol flight software update that began on sol 94. | This polar-projection mosaic was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 93 (April 7, 2004). It reveals the martian view from Spirit's position during the four-sol flight software update that began on sol 94. | |
The wind is responsible for the erosion seen in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft near Aeolis Planum. | Context imageThe wind is responsible for the erosion seen in this VIS image near Aeolis Planum.Orbit Number: 50816 Latitude: -6.83397 Longitude: 150.485 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-05-29 03:54Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows Granicus Valles, a complex channel system located west of Elyisum Mons. | Context imageGranicus Valles is a complex channel system located west of Elyisum Mons. The channel system is approximately 750km long. It is likely that both water and lava played a part in creating the channel.Orbit Number: 78223 Latitude: 29.9446 Longitude: 127.672 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-08-03 04:50Please 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 windstreaks located in Syrtis Major Planum. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows windstreaks located in Syrtis Major Planum. These streaks are formed by the wind interaction with positive topographic features (like craters), with the 'tail' located down wind of the crater. The streaks in this image indicate the prevailing wind was from the upper right to the lower left side of the image (northeast to southwest).Orbit Number: 94023 Latitude: 6.9785 Longitude: 71.5019 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2023-02-24 03:50Please 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 Elysium Region of Mars; north toward top. This scene shows the Elysium Mons volcano (center), Hecates Tholus (to the north), Albor Tholus (to the south), and the depressions of Elysium Fossae, as seen by NASA's Viking spacecraft. | A color image of the Elysium Region of Mars; north toward top. The scene shows the Elysium Mons volcano (center), Hecates Tholus (to the north), Albor Tholus (to the south), and the depressions of Elysium Fossae. Mons is a Latin term for mountain; the term tholus designates a small mountain or dome.This image is a composite of Viking medium-resolution images in black and white and low-resolution images in color. The image extends from latitude 16 degrees N. to 35 degrees N. and from longitude 206 degrees to 220 degrees; Mercator projection.The Elysium region contain the second largest volcanic complex on Mars, surpassed in size by only the Tharsis complex. Elysium Mons, whose summit elevation is 16,000 m above the Martian datum, is at the crest of a regional topographic rise that emerges steeply and abruptly from the surrounding plains. The relief of Hecates is about 6,000 m and the relief of Albor is only about 4,000 m, because Hecates is on the edge of the rise whereas Albor is on it. After degradation of ancient cratered terrain within the northern lowlands, volcanic rocks erupted from Elysium Mons, Hecates Tholus, and Albor Tholus in Elysium Planitia. Elysium Fossae are volcano/tectonic troughs that parallel graben in the area. Some troughs are connected with channels to the east indicating an interaction between volcanic and hydrothermal systems. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows an area located between Terra Sabaea and Isidis Planitia basin. Blue tones in this band configuration indicate basaltic sands. | Context imageThis image is located between Terra Sabaea and Isidis Planitia basin. Blue tones in this band configuration indicate basaltic sands. The sands are more prevalent in the plains at the upper frame part of the image, and only occur in limited number of depressions in the bottom half of the image. The underlying reason for the difference may related to sand abundance or sand mobility by the wind.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: 61560 Latitude: 18.3868 Longitude: 79.0246 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-10-30 14:44Please 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 scene shows NASA's Curiosity Mars rover at a location called 'Windjana,' where the rover found rocks containing manganese-oxide minerals. | This scene shows NASA's Curiosity Mars rover at a location called "Windjana," where the rover found rocks containing manganese-oxide minerals, which require abundant water and strongly oxidizing conditions to form. In front of the rover are two holes from the rover's sample-collection drill and several dark-toned features that have been cleared of dust (see inset images). These flat features are erosion-resistant fracture fills containing manganese oxides. The discovery of these materials suggests the Martian atmosphere might once have contained higher abundances of free oxygen than it does now. The rover used the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera in April and May 2014 to take dozens of images that were combined into this self-portrait. A version of this portrait without the insets is at PIA18390.
MAHLI was built by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. | |
Four Types of Deposits From Wet Conditions on Early Mars | Each of these four panels shows a close-up view of a different type of geological deposit formed with the involvement of water, based on observations by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. All four date from the earliest period of Martian history, called the Noachian Period.The upper-left panel shows carbonates overlying clays in the Nili Fossae region of Mars. The view combines color-coded information from infrared spectral observations by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) with an underlying black-and-white image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera. Beneath a rough-textured capping rock unit (purple) lie banded olivine-bearing layers (yellow), which in some places have been partially or wholly altered to carbonate (green).The upper-right panel shows phyllosilicates and chlorides in the Terra Sirenum region, observed by CRISM and HiRISE. Medium-toned, finely fractured rocks containing chloride salts either underlie higher-standing, light-toned phyllosilicates or fill in low spots between them. Both sit on dark, eroded volcanic material.The lower-left panel shows the upper portion of canyon wall in Coprates Chasma, observed by HiRISE and CRISM. The chasm rim cuts across the middle of the image. The wall slopes down to the top of the image and continues outside the region shown, exposing multiple phyllosilicate-bearing layers in a section of rock 7 kilometers (4 miles) thick. Two of the layers shown here are finely fractured aluminum clays that dominate the lower half of the image, underlain by thin beds of iron-magnesium clays at the top of the image. The dark material is a remnant of an overlying layer of basaltic sand that has been partly eroded away by the wind.The lower-right panel shows phyllosilicates with vertically layered compositions in Mawrth Vallis, observed by HiRISE (presented in enhanced color) and CRISM. The brown-colored knob in the middle of the scene is a remnant of cap rock that overlies aluminum clays (blue-gray), which in turn overlie iron-magnesium clays (buff).NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory led the effort to build the CRISM instrument and operates CRISM in coordination with an international team of researchers from universities, government and the private sector. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
This false color image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the Nili Patera dune field. The paterae are calderas on the volcanic complex called Syrtis Major Planum. | Context image This is a false color image of part of the Nili Patera dune field. High resolution imaging by other spacecraft has revealed that the dunes in this region are moving. Winds are blowing the dunes across a rough surface of regional volcanic lava flows. The paterae are calderas on the volcanic complex called Syrtis Major Planum. Dunes are found in both Nili and Meroe Paterae and in the region between the two calderas.The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image.The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images!Orbit Number: 19306 Latitude: 8.80756 Longitude: 67.4616 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2006-04-22 00:12Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows windstreaks features on Mars caused by the interaction of wind and topographic landforms; the flows are from Olympus Mons. | Windstreaks are features caused by the interaction of wind and topographic landforms. The raised rims and bowls of impact craters causes a complex interaction such that the wind vortex in the lee of the crater can both scour away the surface dust and deposit it back in the center of the lee. If you look closely, you will see evidence of this in a darker "rim" enclosing a brighter interior. These windstreaks are located close to yesterday's location, only these flows are from Olympus Mons. Note the bright and dark streaks.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 23.2, Longitude 237.1 East (122.9 West). 36 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This is one of the first images taken by NASA's Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars the evening of Aug. 5 PDT (morning of Aug. 6 EDT). The clear dust cover that protected the camera during landing has been sprung open. | This is one of the first images taken by NASA's Curiosity rover, which landed on Mars the evening of Aug. 5 PDT (morning of Aug. 6 EDT). It was taken through a "fisheye" wide-angle lens on the left "eye" of a stereo pair of Hazard-Avoidance cameras on the left-rear side of the rover. The image is one-half of full resolution. The clear dust cover that protected the camera during landing has been sprung open. Part of the spring that released the dust cover can be seen at the bottom right, near the rover's wheel.On the top left, part of the rover's power supply is visible.Some dust appears on the lens even with the dust cover off.The cameras are looking directly into the sun, so the top of the image is saturated. Looking straight into the sun does not harm the cameras. The lines across the top are an artifact called "blooming" that occurs in the camera's detector because of the saturation. As planned, the rover's early engineering images are lower resolution. Larger color images from other cameras are expected later in the week when the rover's mast, carrying high-resolution cameras, is deployed. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft crosses the summit of Uranius Tholus, as well as the western flank of Ceraunius Tholus. | Context imageToday's VIS image crosses the summit of Uranius Tholus, as well as the western flank of Ceraunius Tholus.Orbit Number: 55082 Latitude: 25.0892 Longitude: 262.299 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-05-15 06:50Please 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 daytime 2001 Mars Odyssey image of Terra Cimmeria shows dunes occurring both on crater floors and on the plains between the craters on Mars. | Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAThis daytime IR image of Terra Cimmeria shows dunes occurring both on crater floors and on the plains between the craters.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -63.9N, Longitude 159.9E. 111 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a large sand sheet with surface dune forms, located on the complex floor of Rabe Crater. | Context imageThe large sand sheet with surface dune forms seen in this VIS image is located on the complex floor of Rabe Crater. The sand is likely derived by erosion into the deposit that fills most of the crater floor, creating a pit which hosts the dunes. This crater morphology is unique to Rabe Crater. Rabe Crater is located in Noachis Terra and is 108km in diameter (67 miles).Orbit Number: 82800 Latitude: -43.81 Longitude: 34.5453 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-08-14 00:54Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a small crater near Phlegra Montes. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a small crater near Phlegra Montes.Orbit Number: 45596 Latitude: 39.9133 Longitude:161.829 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-03-25 14:54Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The channel in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is part of Granicus Valles. | Context imageThe channel in this VIS image is part of Granicus Valles. Granicus Valles is a large region of channels located west of the Elysium volcanic complex. These channels were likely created by the flow of volcanic lava rather than water.Orbit Number: 63941 Latitude: 28.1892 Longitude: 130.739 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-05-13 17:14Please 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 daytime infrared image shows a channel system draining from the highlands down to Isidis Planitia on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA11919ChannelThis daytime IR image shows a channel system draining from the highlands down to Isidis Planitia.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude 0.2N, Longitude 89.0E. 115 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image is a stereo, panoramic view of various trenches dug by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander on Oct. 7, 2008. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image. | Annotated VersionLeft-eye view of a stereo pairRight-eye view of a stereo pairThis image is a stereo, panoramic view of various trenches dug by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander. The images that make up this panorama were taken by Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager at about 4 p.m., local solar time at the landing site, on the 131st, Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Oct. 7, 2008).In figure 1, the trenches are labeled in orange and other features are labeled in blue. Figures 2 and 3 are the left- and right-eye members of a stereo pair.For scale, the "Pet Donkey" trench just to the right of center is approximately 38 centimeters (15 inches) long and 31 to 34 centimeters (12 to 13 inches) wide. In addition, the rock in front of it, "Headless," is about 11.5 by 8.5 centimeters (4.5 by 3.3 inches), and about 5 centimeters (2 inches) tall.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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | 6 April 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows gullies in the wall of a large impact crater in Newton Basin near 41.9°S, 158.1°W. Such gullies may have formed by downslope movement of wet debris--i.e., water. Unfortunately, because the responsible fluid (if there was one) is no longer present today, only the geomorphology of the channels and debris aprons can be used to deduce that water might have been involved. The image covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
The dark bullseye pattern seen at the top of NASA's Viking 1's camera calibration chart indicates the presence of magnetic particles in the fine dust in the Martian atmosphere. | The dark bullseye pattern seen at the top of Viking l's camera calibration chart indicates the presence of magnetic particles in the fine dust in the Martian atmosphere. A tiny magnet is mounted at that spot to catch wind-borne magnetic particles. The particles may have been tossed into the atmosphere surrounding the spacecraft at the time of landing and during the digging and delivery of the Mars soil sample by the surface sampler scoop. This picture was taken August 4. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows dark, relatively smooth plains of Meridiani Planum, where the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landed. | This is a portion of a previously released image (PIA02397) taken by the Mars Orbiter Camera onboard NASA's Mars Global Surveyor, showing the dark, relatively smooth plains of Meridiani Planum, where the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landed. The larger circular features in the upper three-quarters of the image are thought to be the locations of buried craters formed by meteorite impacts. The cluster of smaller circular features in the bottom quarter of the scene represent a field of craters formed either by simultaneous impact of many meteorites, or impact of material thrown from a much, much larger nearby crater as it formed. The dark material covering these plains includes an abundance of the iron oxide mineral, hematite, that was detected by the Mars Global Surveyor thermal emission spectrometer. The scene is located near 2.2 degrees south, 3.7 degrees west and was acquired on August 19, 1999. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-567, 7 December 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) wide angle image shows a small dust storm, and several other smaller dust plumes, billowing up from the light-toned plains near the boundary between Syria Planum and the Claritas Fossae. This (text missing) is monitored by MOC several times a week because it is frequently the site of small dust storms and extremely large dust devils. The image covers an area approximately 125 km (78 mi) wide and is illuminated from the left/lower left. | |
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 Granicus Valles. | 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 Granicus Valles.Orbit Number: 5750 Latitude: 27.2306 Longitude: 135.408 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2003-04-01 22:41Please 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 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows there are a few more fans on the ridge as spring activity progresses in Inca City. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionIn Inca City another week has passed, and there are a few more fans on the ridge. We are studying the sequence of spring activity with the help of citizen scientists at the Planetfour website, sponsored by Zooniverse.Citizens of planet Earth log on and identify and measure fans and blotches in the South polar region of Mars imaged by HiRISE. With their help we can study the polar weather by looking at how the fan directions change through the spring.We see how the number of fans and blotches depends on the thickness of the ice layer and how high the sun is in the sky. If you would like to be a part of this endeavor join us at www.planetfour.org.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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows dark sand dunes and lighter-toned ripples trapped among the mountainous central peak of an old impact crater in Terra Tyrrhena on Mars. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-411, 4 July 2003July 4, 2003, is the 6th anniversary of the Mars Pathfinder landing. One of the elements carried to the red planet by Pathfinder was the Wind Sock Experiment. This project was designed to measure wind activity by taking pictures of three aluminum "wind socks." While the winds at the Mars Pathfinder site did not blow particularly strong during the course of that mission, dust storms seen from orbit and Earth-based telescopes attest to the fact that wind is a major force of change on the dry, desert surface of Mars today. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) narrow angle image shows dark sand dunes and lighter-toned ripples trapped among the mountainous central peak of an old impact crater in Terra Tyrrhena near 13.9°S, 246.7°W. The dune slip faces--the steepest slope on the larger dunes--indicate sand transport is from the top/upper left toward the bottom/lower right. North is toward the top/upper right; the picture is 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. This picture was obtained in April 2003. | |
This image of the martian sundial onboard NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit was processed by students in the Red Rover Goes to Mars program to impose hour markings on the face of the dial. | This image of the martian sundial onboard the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit was processed by students in the Red Rover Goes to Mars program to impose hour markings on the face of the dial. The position of the shadow of the sundial's post within the markings indicates the time of day and the season, which in this image is 12:17 p.m. local solar time, late summer. A team of 16 students from 12 countries were selected by the Planetary Society to participate in this program. This image was taken on Mars by the rover's panoramic camera. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows gullies in the southeast-facing wall of an impact crater in northwestern Acidalia Planitia on Mars. Gullies are common in southern middle-latitude craters. | 16 June 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows gullies in the southeast-facing wall of an impact crater in northwestern Acidalia Planitia. Gullies are common in southern middle-latitude craters, and much less common in cases like the one shown here, found at a northern middle latitude. Debate continues within the Mars science community as to the origin of the gullies, whether by groundwater, melting ice or snow, or an alternative fluid such as carbon dioxide.Location near: 41.4°N, 44.8°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Autumn | |
Melas Chasma is the widest segment of the Valles Marineris canyon, and is an area where NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has detected the presence of sulfates. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionMelas Chasma is the widest segment of the Valles Marineris canyon, and is an area where MRO has detected the presence of sulfates.This image offers a view of an excellent contact between layered deposits that postdate the formation of Valles Marineris and possible deposits that predate the canyon's formation. The materials are near interior layered deposits that contain sulfates and likely have hydrated minerals. At high resolution, we can have more accurate mapping of the stratigraphic relationships and contacts. Enhanced color can help to differentiate between geologic units and for mapping of sulfates.This caption is based on the original science rationale.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 dust avalanche is located on the rim material of an unnamed crater to the east of Tikhonravov Crater on Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey. | Context image for PIA06763Dust on the MoveThis dust avalanche is located on the rim material of an unnamed crater to the east of Tikhonravov Crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 15.0N, Longitude 43.1E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image illustrates the variety of textures that appear in the south polar region on Mars during late summer as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA03638Polar TexturesThis image illustrates the variety of textures that appear in the south polar region during late summer.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 80.5S, Longitude 57.9E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the location where it landed in August 2012 to its location in December 2016, which is in the upper half of a geological unit called the Murray formation, on lower Mount Sharp. | This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the location where it landed in August 2012 to its location in December 2016, which is in the upper half of a geological unit called the Murray formation, on lower Mount Sharp.Blue triangles mark waypoints investigated by Curiosity during the rover's two-year prime mission and first two-year extended mission. The "Hematite Unit" and "Clay Unit" are key destinations for the second two-year extension, through September 2018. An approximate possible route is indicated for studying those layers of the mountain. The base image for the map is from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. North is up. Bagnold Dunes form a band of dark, wind-blown material at the foot of Mount Sharp.The scale bar at lower right represents one kilometer (0.62 mile). For broader-context images of the area, see PIA17355, PIA16064 and PIA16058.Presented at the 2016 AGU Fall Meeting on Dec. 13. in San Francisco, CA.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.For more information about Curiosity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the layering of the north polar cap. Such layering is visible on the sides of troughs carved into the ice. | Context imageThis VIS image shows the layering of the north polar cap. Such layering is visible on the sides of troughs carved into the ice.Orbit Number: 54558 Latitude: 81.4902 Longitude: 51.9188 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-04-02 03:27Please 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. | |
NASA's rover Opportunity used its navigation camera to take the images combined into this full 360-degree view of the rover's surroundings after a drive on the 2,220th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity's mission on Mars (April 22, 2010). | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera to take the images combined into this full 360-degree view of the rover's surroundings after a drive on the 2,220th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity's mission on Mars (April 22, 2010). North is at the top.Opportunity drove 10.18 meters (33.4 feet) toward the south-southeast on Sol 2220. The drive had been planned to go farther, but one precaution included in the commands sent to Opportunity that sol was for the rover to pause after about 10 meters and check whether its wheels were slipping more than 40 percent. This was a safeguard against having the rover's wheels sink too far into the sand. The slippage had exceeded that amount, so Opportunity did not try to drive farther. After receiving data from the Sol 2220 drive, the rover team assessed the situation and decided that the wheels were not sinking excessively despite the slippage. After recharging batteries, Opportunity continued driving in the same direction six sols later.Opportunity took some of the component images for this mosaic on Sol 2220, after the drive, and the rest on Sol 2221. Wind-formed ripples of dark sand make up much of the terrain surrounding this position. Patches of outcrop are visible to the south. For scale, the distance between the parallel wheel tracks is about 1 meter (about 40 inches). The site is about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) south-southwest of Victoria Crater.This view is presented as a cylindrical projection with geometric seam correction. | |
The rim and floor of this southern crater on Mars are relatively unmodified, indicating that this crater is younger than its more weathered neighbors as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA08645Recent ImpactThe rim and floor of this southern crater are relatively unmodified, indicating that this crater is younger than its more weathered neighbors.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -18.4N, Longitude 98.6E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Churned-Up Rocky Debris and Dust (False Color) | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit has been analyzing sulfur-rich rocks and surface materials in the "Columbia Hills" in Gusev Crater on Mars. This image shows rocky debris and dust, which planetary scientists call "regolith" or "soil," that has been churned up by the rover wheels. This 40-centimeter-wide (16-inch-wide) patch of churned-up dirt, nicknamed "Paso Robles," contains brighter patches measured to be high in sulfur by Spirit's alpha particle X-ray Spectrometer. Spirit's panoramic camera took this false-color image on martian day, or sol, 400 (Feb. 16, 2005), using filters at wavelengths of 750, 530, and 430 nanometers. Darker red hues in the image correspond to greater concentrations of oxidized soil and dust. Whiter and bluer hues correspond to sulfur-rich deposits that are not as heavily coated with soils or are not as highly oxidized. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a small landslide chute and deposit. This feature is located on the easternmost end of Candor Chasma. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a small landslide chute and deposit. This feature is located on the easternmost end of Candor Chasma.Orbit Number: 42359 Latitude: -9.12946 Longitude: 295.363 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-07-03 02:31Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This view from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) in NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows finely layered rocks within the 'Murray Buttes' region on lower Mount Sharp. | This view from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) in NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows finely layered rocks within the "Murray Buttes" region on lower Mount Sharp.The buttes and mesas rising above the surface in this area are eroded remnants of ancient sandstone that originated when winds deposited sand after lower Mount Sharp had formed. Curiosity closely examined that layer -- called the "Stimson formation" -- during the first half of 2016, while crossing a feature called "Naukluft Plateau" between two exposures of the Murray formation. The layering within the sandstone is called "cross-bedding" and indicates that the sandstone was deposited by wind as migrating sand dunes.The image was taken on Sept. 8, 2016, during the 1454th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates the rover's Mastcam. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.For more information about Curiosity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
This image acquired on January 4, 2022 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows a crater near 37 degrees south latitude. The south-facing slope has patchy bright frost, blue in enhanced color. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionEvery winter, a layer of carbon dioxide frost (dry ice) forms on the surface of Mars. At its greatest extent in mid-winter, this frost reaches from the poles down to the middle latitudes, until it is too warm and sunny to persist. In most places this is around 50 degrees latitude, similar to the latitude of southern Canada on Earth.However, small patches of dry ice are found closer to the equator on pole-facing slopes, which are colder because they receive less sunlight. This image was taken in the middle of winter in Mars' Southern Hemisphere, and shows a crater near 37 degrees south latitude. The south-facing slope has patchy bright frost, blue in enhanced color. This frost occurs in and around the many gullies on the slope, and in other images, has caused flows in the gullies.The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 50.9 centimeters [20.0 inches] per pixel [with 2 x 2 binning]; objects on the order of 153 centimeters [60.2 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 image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Olympia Undae, a large dune field that surrounds part of the north polar cap. At the top of the image the dunes are small and isolated. | Context image This VIS image shows part of Olympia Undae, a large dune field that surrounds part of the north polar cap. At the top of the image the dunes are small and isolated. As the amount of available sand increases the density of dunes increases. This is seen at the bottom of the image. Collected during northern summer, the dunes are completely free of ice and frost.Orbit Number: 71822 Latitude: 79.9343 Longitude: 143.91 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-02-22 00:15Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is of an approximately 5 kilometer (approx. 3.1 mile) diameter crater that is one of the rare examples of a fresh 'lunar-like' crater on Mars. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis image represents one of many monitoring sites at the South pole residual cap (SPRC). Images are taken throughout the Martian year to document changes in carbon dioxide ice coverage.This image shows a popular spot where one of the features resembles a smiley face that is approximately 500 meters across. If you smile at Mars, sometimes it smiles back.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. | |
Shadows are just right to form googly eyes in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image Do you see what I see? Shadows are just right to form googly eyes.Orbit Number: 52150 Latitude: -32.4441 Longitude: 211.262 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-09-15 22:28Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a portion of the north and south martian polar cap that remains frosted through the summer is known as the Residual Polar Cap. | The portion of each martian polar cap that remains frosted through the summer is known as the Residual Polar Cap. It is also sometimes called the Permanent Polar Cap, although from one summer to the next the amount of frost that remains might vary.The two pictures above show examples of the north and south polar residual caps as they appeared in summer. The pictures are small because they have been extracted from the daily global maps taken by the Red Wide Angle Camera of the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) system onboard the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) orbiter. On every orbit, a tiny picture showing a portion of Mars at a resolution of 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) per pixel is obtained so that the changing martian weather--and changing polar caps--can be monitored.The latest northern hemisphere summer season ended the first of August 1999. Thus, the picture shown above (left) presents what the north polar residual cap looked like during the most recent summer. As for southern summer, it began around December 25, 1999, and continues today. The picture shown here (above, right) indicates what the south polar residual cap looked like near the end of February 2000.These two images have been used as planning tools by the MOC team at MSSS. The "pinwheel" pattern in the south polar picture is being shown on purpose. The pattern results from the fact that the south polar picture is a mosaic of more than 12 global images acquired by MOC on February 25 and 26, 2000. Mosaics such as this are used every week by the team for targeting purposes (to see which areas are covered by frost). This particular mosaic was used for planning MOC high resolution views during the first few days of March 2000. The north polar image does not show seams because this picture was extracted from a single daily global image that was map-projected and used by the MOC team and used for weather monitoring.To see an example of the MGS MOC "daily global map"--one acquired in April 1999--see:"Mars Global Weather Monitoring," July 19, 1999.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, taken by NASA's Mars Odyssey, shows a short section of Nirgal Vallis. Several tributaries are visible in this image. | Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAThis VIS image shows a short section of Nirgal Vallis. Several tributaries are visible in this image.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -27.6N, Longitude 314.1E. 22 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a landslide occurred on the rim of Fesenkov Crater on Mars, creating the deposit visible in this image. | Context imageA landslide occurred on the rim of Fesenkov Crater, creating the deposit visible in this image.Orbit Number: 46753 Latitude: 21.5257 Longitude: 272.826 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-06-28 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. | |
This image of Yori Pass was taken by a Hazcam imager aboard NASA's Perseverance Mars rover on November 5, 2022. | This image of "Yori Pass" was taken by one of the Hazard-Avoidance Cameras (Hazcams) on NASA's Perseverance Mars rover on Nov. 5, 2022, the 609th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.The feature, at the base of Jezero Crater, is sandstone, which is composed of fine grains that have been carried from elsewhere by water before settling and forming stone. The rover will take a rock-core sample here.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/nasa.gov/perseverance | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity will spend its fifth Martian winter working at a location informally named 'Greeley Haven.' This image indicates the location of Greeley Haven on Cape York. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity will spend its fifth Martian winter working at a location informally named "Greeley Haven." This site is an outcrop near the northern tip of the "Cape York" segment of the western rim of Endeavour Crater. It provides a north-facing slope of 15 degrees or more to aid electric output from Opportunity's solar array. It also presents geological targets of interest for investigating during months of limited mobility while the rover stays on the slope.This image, covering an area about 2,000 feet (about 600 meters) wide, indicates the location of Greeley Haven on Cape York. The base image of the map is a portion of an image taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, on July 23, 2010. Other image products from this observation are available at http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/ESP_018701_1775.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington.The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the spacecraft development and integration contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the northern side of Hebes Chasma. | Context image This image shows the northern side of Hebes Chasma. The large central layered mesa is just off the bottom of the image. Meeting in approximately the center of the image are materials eroded from the cliff face and mesa. The appearance of the material differs. Both the floor and central mesa are very complex features in this canyon. Hebes Chasma is an enclosed basin not connected to Valles Marineris.The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 69000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images!Orbit Number: 51210 Latitude: -0.415426 Longitude: 284.165 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-06-30 15:57Please 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. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows sand dunes on the floor of an unnamed crater near Meridiani Planum. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows sand dunes on the floor of an unnamed crater near Meridiani Planum.Orbit Number: 47998 Latitude: 6.35528 Longitude: 10.1151 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-10-09 07:57Please 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. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the eastern boundary of Syrtis Major Planum. The channel at the bottom of the image is unnamed. | 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 eastern boundary of Syrtis Major Planum. The channel at the bottom of the image is unnamed.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: 85812 Latitude: 17.5754 Longitude: 72.5741 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-04-19 01:44Please 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. | |
On Oct. 16, 2006, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity examined a section of the scalloped rim called Cape St. Mary in Victoria Crater on Mars. | As part of its investigation of "Victoria Crater," NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity examined a promontory called "Cape St. Mary" from the from the vantage point of "Cape Verde," the next promontory counterclockwise around the crater's deeply scalloped rim. This view of Cape St. Mary combines several exposures taken by the rover's panoramic camera into a false-color mosaic. Contrast has been adjusted to improve the visibility of details in shaded areas.The upper portion of the crater wall contains a jumble of material tossed outward by the impact that excavated the crater. This vertical cross-section through the blanket of ejected material surrounding the crater was exposed by erosion that expanded the crater outward from its original diameter, according to scientists' interpretation of the observations. Below the jumbled material in the upper part of the wall are layers that survive relatively intact from before the crater-causing impact. Near the base of the Cape St. Mary cliff are layers with a pattern called "crossbedding," intersecting with each other at angles, rather than parallel to each other. Large-scale crossbedding can result from material being deposited as wind-blown dunes.The images combined into this mosaic were taken during the 970th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity's Mars-surface mission (Oct. 16, 2006). The panoramic camera took them through the camera's 750-nanometer, 530-nanometer and 430-nanometer filters. The false color enhances subtle color differences among materials in the rocks and soils of the scene. | |
This artist's concept is a simulation of what seismic waves from a marsquake might look like as they move through different layers of the Martian interior. | Click here for animationThis artist's concept is a simulation of what seismic waves from a marsquake might look like as they move through different layers of the Martian interior. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows an unnamed central peak crater east of Hadriaca Patera on Mars. The crater rim is cut by multiple channels and part of the rim has failed. | Context image for PIA09463Polar TexturesThis unnamed central peak crater east of Hadriaca Patera is slowly being modified from its original pristine state. The crater rim is cut by multiple channels and part of the rim has failed due to gravity and produced a landslide that reached all the way to the central peak itself (to the left of the channels in the center of the image).Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -86.8N, Longitude 354.0E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey is located near the south polar cap and exhibits the same layering of ice and dust. | Context imageThis VIS image is located near the south polar cap and exhibits the same layering of ice and dust. Outliers are regions that were once part of a larger regional feature but over the course of time processes have isolated them from the main feature.Orbit Number: 76098 Latitude: -82.2123 Longitude: 273.376 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-02-09 04:24Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the region between Candor Chasma and Melas Chasma. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows the region between Candor Chasma and Melas Chasma.Orbit Number: 42634 Latitude: -7.33367 Longitude: 283.351 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-07-25 17:52Please 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 microscopic image, taken at the outcrop region dubbed 'Berry Bowl' near NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site, shows the sphere-like grains or 'blueberries' that fill Berry Bowl. | This microscopic image, taken at the outcrop region dubbed "Berry Bowl" near the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's landing site, shows the sphere-like grains or "blueberries" that fill Berry Bowl. Of particular interest is the blueberry triplet, which indicates that these geologic features grew in pre-existing wet sediments. Other sphere-like grains that form in the air, such as impact spherules or ejected volcanic material called lapilli, are unlikely to fuse along a line and form triplets. This image was taken by the rover's microscopic imager on the 46th martian day, or sol, of its mission. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the three most abundant terrain types seen in the Mars Polar Lander landing ellipse, ridges and small knobs, ridges and gullies, and ridges and pits. | What will Mars Polar Lander find when it reaches the red planet on December 3, 1999? The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)--currently operating in Mars orbit since September 1997--is providing some of our highest-resolution views of the planet ever obtained. MOC, in fact, can see objects the size of automobiles with its 1.5 meter (5 ft) per pixel capability.To give some sense of the nature of polar terrain in the vicinity of Mars Polar Lander's 76°S, 195°W landing zone, very high resolution MOC images are here compared with the "main campus" of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). JPL is located in Pasadena, California, and is part of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Together with partners Lockheed Martin Astronautics (Denver, CO), University of California-Los Angeles, The Planetary Society (Pasadena, CA), and Malin Space Science Systems (San Diego, CA), JPL is operating and managing the Mars Polar Lander and Deep Space 2 missions under contract from NASA.The three MOC images shown next to each view of JPL represent the three most abundant terrain types seen in the Mars Polar Lander landing ellipse--ridges and small knobs, ridges and gullies, and ridges and pits. Each is shown at the same scale as the buildings of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (1.5 m/pixel). Each image is about 400 meters (437 yards) across and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower right.Mars Polar Lander Landing Zone Compared With JPLThe picture on the left is a MOC image taken in mid-November 1999 near the west edge of Mars Polar Lander's landing ellipse. Many small, bright pinnacles or knobs are visible amid a few circular features and dark patches. The picture on the right shows a portion of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the same scale. Note that buildings and some trees can be discerned in the JPL photo. Ridges and Gullies Compared to Features of Similar ScaleTaken in November 1999 after the winter frost had finally cleared away, this view of typical ridged and gullied terrain in the Mars Polar Lander ellipse (left) is compared at the same scale with the buildings of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (right). A person standing in one of the gullies or cracks in the polar terrain would certainly notice that they are down in a hole! Ridges and Pits Compared to Features of Similar ScaleThe image on the left shows a third sample of terrain in the Mars Polar Lander landing zone. This picture was acquired in mid/late November 1999 after the seasonal frost had sublimed away. The terrain appears rugged but not nearly as rugged as the artificial terrain of buildings and sidewalks at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (right). | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on April 6, 2004 shows late stage volcanic flows coming down the side of Olympus Mons and flowing over the cliff-like margin of the volcano. | Released 6 April 2004The Odyssey spacecraft has completed a full Mars year of observations of the red planet. For the next several weeks the Image of the Day will look back over this first mars year. It will focus on four themes: 1) the poles - with the seasonal changes seen in the retreat and expansion of the caps; 2) craters - with a variety of morphologies relating to impact materials and later alteration, both infilling and exhumation; 3) channels - the clues to liquid surface flow; and 4) volcanic flow features. While some images have helped answer questions about the history of Mars, many have raised new questions that are still being investigated as Odyssey continues collecting data as it orbits Mars.This images was collected Aug. 14, 2003 during northern fall. The top of this image shows late stage volcanic flows coming down the side of Olympus Mons and flowing over the cliff-like margin of the volcano.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 13.9, Longitude 228.5 East (131.5 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The power of the wind is undeniable in this image of the surface of Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageThe power of the wind is undeniable in this VIS image of the surface of Mars. Deposits of material have filled in part of the crater visible in the center of the image, and these deposits have then been modified by wind erosion.Orbit Number: 43860 Latitude: -3.70799 Longitude: 205.468 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-11-03 15:52Please 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 daytime infrared image shows the majority of the sand sheet and dune forms within Richardson Crater on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA11928Richardson CraterThis daytime infrared image shows the majority of the sand sheet and dune forms within Richardson Crater.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -72.5N, Longitude 179.5E. 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. | |
Northern Plains | Image PSP_001448_2470 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 17, 2006. The complete image is centered at 67.0 degrees latitude, 136.0 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 315.1 km (197.0 miles). At this distance the image scale is 31.5 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~95 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 3:03 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 58 degrees, thus the sun was about 32 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 136.6 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. | |
The Surface Stereo Imager on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander took this anaglyph on Oct. 21, 2008; the trench on the upper left is called 'Upper Cupboard.' 3D glasses are necessary to view this image. | The Surface Stereo Imager on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander took this anaglyph on Oct. 21, 2008, during the 145th Martian day, or sol. Phoenix landed on Mars' northern plains on May 25, 2008.The trench on the upper left, called "Upper Cupboard," is about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench in the middle,called "Ice Man," is about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench on the right, called "La Mancha," is about 31 centimeters (12 inches) and 5 centimeters (2 inches) deep.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 Global Surveyor shows two mesas on the northern plains of Mars. 'Mesa' is the Spanish word for 'table,' -- a very good description of the two elliptical features. | 10 August 2006This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows two mesas on the northern plains of Mars. "Mesa" is the Spanish word for "table," and that is a very good description of the two elliptical features captured in this MOC image. In both cases, the mesa tops and the material beneath them, down to the level of the surrounding, rugged plain, are remnants of a once more extensive layer (or layers) of material that has been largely eroded away. The circular feature near the center of the larger mesa is the site of a filled and buried impact crater.Location near: 53.5°N, 153.5°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Spring | |
This image taken on July 18, 2008 from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander shows double doors on the right are wide open on four pairs of oven doors on Phoenix's Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer (TEGA). | The double doors on the right are wide open in this image of four pairs of oven doors on Phoenix's Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer (TEGA).This pair of doors is for TEGA's oven number zero, the third of the instrument's ovens to be opened and the first for which both doors have opened fully. The lander's Surface Stereo Imager took this photo on July 18, 2008, during the 53rd Martian day, or sol, since Phoenix landed. The image has been brightened to show the fine mesh.The doors are about 10 centimeters (4 inches) tall.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. |
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