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This image taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a part of a central mound in an impact crater in Arabia Terra. | This observation shows a part of a central mound in an impact crater in Arabia Terra. At low resolution, the mound is relatively smooth and featureless, although elsewhere in the mound a Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows fine layers.The mound is broad, filling much of the crater, although it now appears to be eroding. Images like this can be used to explore the nature of the deposit, and provide clues about how it formed. At high resolution the material still appears relatively uniform and featureless, without boulders or obvious fine layers. This indicates a relatively weak, fine-grained material.The large, elongated features in the image are yardangs. These are characteristic of aeolian (wind) erosion. They form roughly parallel with the direction of the prevailing wind, and the streamlined shape (often compared with the hull of a boat) is created by persistent flow from this direction.Yardangs on Earth often form from relatively unconsolidated material, supporting the inference made from the appearance of the deposit.The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the 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, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the spacecraft development and integration contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. | |
This image shows a portion of the summit caldera of Olympus Mons on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA08761Olympus MonsThis image shows a portion of the summit caldera of Olympus Mons.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 18.0N, Longitude 226.7E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
While this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft of Lucus Planum on Mars appears to be dominated by a winding channel. The wind is eroding away the surface of the entire image and filling in the channel with material. | Context image for PIA03578Lucus PlanumWhile this image of Lucus Planum appears to be dominated by a winding channel, if you look closely you will see that the wind is eroding away the surface of the entire image and filling in the channel with material.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 6.4S, Longitude 198.5E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Circular shapes seen on the martian surface in these images are 'footprints' left by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's airbags during landing as the spacecraft gently rolled to a stop. | The circular shapes seen on the martian surface in these images are "footprints" left by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's airbags during landing as the spacecraft gently rolled to a stop. Opportunity landed at approximately 9:05 p.m. PST on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2004, Earth-received time. The circular region of the flower-like feature on the right is about the size of a basketball. Scientists are studying the prints for more clues about the makeup of martian soil. The images were taken at Meridiani Planum, Mars, by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. | |
This image acquired on November 2, 2021 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows an area on the western edge of Milankovic Crater on Mars, that has a thick deposit of sediment covering a layer rich in ice. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionThis area, on the western edge of Milankovic Crater on Mars, has a thick deposit of sediment that covers a layer rich in ice. The ice is not obvious unless you look in color.In the red-green-blue images that are close to what the human eye would see, the ice looks bright white, while the surroundings are a rusty red. The ice stands out even more clearly in the infrared-red-blue images where it has a striking bluish-purple tone while the surroundings have a yellowish-grey color.The ice-rich material is most visible when the cliff is oriented east-west and is shielded from the sun as it arcs through the sky to the south.The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 30.8 centimeters [12.1 inches] per pixel [with 1 x 1 binning]; objects on the order of 93 centimeters [36.6 inches] across are resolved.) North is up.The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image released on July 7, 2004 from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows dust devils have left tracks on the floor of Kaiser Crater on Mars. | Released 7 July 2004The atmosphere of Mars is a dynamic system. Water-ice clouds, fog, and hazes can make imaging the surface from space difficult. Dust storms can grow from local disturbances to global sizes, through which imaging is impossible. Seasonal temperature changes are the usual drivers in cloud and dust storm development and growth. Eons of atmospheric dust storm activity has left its mark on the surface of Mars. Dust carried aloft by the wind has settled out on every available surface; sand dunes have been created and moved by centuries of wind; and the effect of continual sand-blasting has modified many regions of Mars, creating yardangs and other unusual surface forms. Today's dust devil tracks are not a prominent as yesterday's (see PIA06453). This may be a factor of their age or of the composition of the surface material. These tracks are generally longer than the ones in yesterday's image. These tracks occur on the floor of Kaiser Crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -46.6, Longitude 17.7 East (342.3 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a crater near the rim of Kaiser Crater, in Noachis Terra on Mars, with several layers of eroded material. This crater, and probably all of its degraded neighbors, was once filled and buried, and was later exhumed. | 24 August 2004The upper left (northwest) corner of this Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a crater within which are several layers of eroded material. This crater, and probably all of its degraded neighbors, was once filled and buried, and was later exhumed. The burial and exhumation theme is one that repeats all over the surface of Mars, as ancient rocks are eroded to expose previously filled and buried craters, valleys, and landscapes. This particular image is located near the northwest rim of Kaiser Crater, in Noachis Terra, near 45.2°S, 342.7°W. The image covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft was acquired to look for frost on these generally equator-facing slopes on Mars, which are visible in the shadows after enhancing the brightness levels. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis image was acquired to look for frost on these generally equator-facing slopes, which are visible in the shadows after enhancing the brightness levels. It is also a dramatic image given the low-sun illumination.The color cutout has north down (illumination from the right side) so that downhill is down. 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 Global Surveyor shows | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-564, 4 December 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows patterned ground, arranged in the form of polygons, on the undulating plains associated with ejecta from the Lyot impact crater on the martian northern plains. This picture was acquired in October 2003 and shows that the polygon margins are ridges with large boulders--shown here as dark dots--on them. On Earth, polygon patterns like this are created in arctic and antarctic regions where there is ice in the ground. The seasonal and longer-term cycles of freezing and thawing of the ice-rich ground cause these features to form over time. Whether the same is true for Mars is unknown. The polygons are located near 54.6°N, 326.6°W. The image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and is illuminated from the lower left. | |
This false-color image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a crater rim in the north polar region of Mars. Ice/frost will appear as bright blue in color; dust mantled ice will appear in tones of red/orange. | The theme for the weeks of 1/17 and 1/24 is the north polar region of Mars as seen in false color THEMIS images. Ice/frost will typically appear as bright blue in color; dust mantled ice will appear in tones of red/orange. This false color image of a crater rim illustrates just how complete the dust cover can be. The small white/blue regions on the rim are of areas where the dust cover has been removed - due to heating on sun facing slopes or by gravitational effects.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 70.1, Longitude 352.8 East (7.2 West). 40 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 is part of THEMIS art month, taken by NASA's Mars Odyssey featuring a portion of Mars' landscape looking somewhat like Pac-Man. | Welcome to the second annual THEMIS ART MONTH. From Jan. 31 through March 4 we will be showcasing images for their aesthetic value, rather than their science content. Portions of these images resemble things in our everyday lives, from animals to letters of the alphabet. We hope you enjoy our fanciful look at Mars!What round creature is this, approaching from the left? Pac-Man?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 part of northern Arabia Terra. Arabia Terra is one of the oldest surface regions on Mars and contains a large variety of surface features. | 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 northern Arabia Terra. Arabia Terra is one of the oldest surface regions on Mars and contains a large variety of surface features. The region is dissected with numerous unnamed channels of all sizes and complexities, as well as numerous pits of unknown origin.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: 87213 Latitude: 18.2378 Longitude: 335.439 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-08-12 10:16Please 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. | |
Members of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover mission team photographed themselves on March 20, 2020, the first day the entire mission team worked remotely from home. | Members of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover mission team took pictures of themselves from their home offices on March 20, 2020, the first day the entire mission team worked remotely. Rover planning usually happens at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Clockwise from upper left: Rover planner Keri Bean, wearing red-blue 3D glasses; rover planner Camden Miller; tactical uplink lead Jack Quade; and Science Operations Team Chief Carrie Bridge.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. | |
In the foreground of this image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit are two rocks dubbed 'Sashimi' and 'Sushi.' | This image from the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit hazard-identification camera shows the rover's perspective just before its first post-egress drive on Mars. On Sunday, the 15th martian day, or sol, of Spirit's journey, engineers drove Spirit approximately 3 meters (10 feet) toward its first rock target, a football-sized, mountain-shaped rock called Adirondack (not pictured). In the foreground of this image are "Sashimi" and "Sushi" - two rocks that scientists considered investigating first. Ultimately, these rocks were not chosen because their rough and dusty surfaces are ill-suited for grinding. | |
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft takes a look at THEMIS image as art. Many science-fiction writers have postulated many life forms on Mars. Mars blows a kiss. | Welcome to another brief interval of THEMIS Images as Art. For two weeks, we will be showcasing images for their aesthetic value rather than their science content. Portions of these images resemble things in our everyday lives, from animals to letters of the alphabet. We hope you enjoy our fanciful look at Mars!Mars has a kiss for you today!Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows windblown sand dunes in Lohse Crater in Noachis Terra on Mars. | 8 January 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows windblown sand dunes in Lohse Crater in Noachis Terra near 43.8°S, 16.8°W. The winds responsible for these dunes blew largely from the lower left (southwest) toward the upper right (northeast). The picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across, and is illuminated by sunlight from the upper left. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a clear boundary between material being eroded by the wind (bottom of image) and a surface scoured clean (top of frame) northwest of Apollinaris Mons. | Context imageThis image shows a clear boundary between material being eroded by the wind (bottom of image) and a surface scoured clean (top of frame). The wind eroded material is part of a large deposit northwest of Apollinaris Mons.Orbit Number: 44710 Latitude: -6.17171 Longitude: 174.354 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-01-12 14:55Please 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 floor of Kaiser Crater. Kaiser Crater is 207 km (129 miles) in diameter and is located in Noachis Terra west of Hellas Planitia. | Context imageThis VIS image shows part of the floor of Kaiser Crater. Kaiser Crater is 207 km (129 miles) in diameter and is located in Noachis Terra west of Hellas Planitia. This sand dune field is one of several regions of sand dunes located on the southern part of the crater floor. The image also shows the complex crater floor beneath the dunes.Orbit Number: 91155 Latitude: -46.9828 Longitude: 19.3481 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-07-02 23:58Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Eroding Crater Fill | Click on image for larger versionThis HiRISE image (PSP_002478_1770) shows the edge of a mound of sediments in the center of a large impact crater near Amenthes Planum.The mound probably once filled much more of the crater, but it is now eroding away. HiRISE shows a variety of layers. A broad view shows several small plateaus which have likely been preserved by a relatively resistant cap layer, while other levels are exposed elsewhere.The subsection highlighted here shows several types of layers exposed in a pit. These variations point to a relatively complex geologic history at this site. Some layers appear to be fracturing into boulders which roll downslope, while others appear relatively smooth. There are also variations in tone, from light to dark. This diversity may be due to different types of rock, as well as varying strength.Images such as this one indicate that rocks formed on Mars in a variety of ways, and by careful analysis it may be possible to deduce some of the history that has produced the geology at this site.Observation Toolbox Acquisition date: 2 February 2007Local Mars time: 3:42 PMDegrees latitude (centered): -3.0°Degrees longitude (East): 115.9°Range to target site: 266.1 km (166.3 miles)Original image scale range: 26.6 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: 0.0°Phase angle: 55.7°Solar incidence angle: 56°, with the Sun about 34° above the horizonSolar longitude: 178.7°, 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. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows lighter-toned patches of ground ofsulfate-rich bedrock. Darker patches are dark, windblown sand. The metal post in the foreground is the top of Opportunity's low-gain antenna. | This 360-degree panorama shows the vista from the location where NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity spent five weeks in November and December 2008 while the sun was nearly directly in between Mars and Earth, limiting communications.Opportunity is approaching the fifth Earth-year anniversary of its landing on Mars, continuing a surface mission that was initially scheduled to last three months. The rover landed on Jan. 24, 2004 (Pacific Standard Time; Jan. 25, 2004 Universal Time). When it reached the location from which its panoramic camera (Pancam) captured this view, it had driven a total of 13,616 meters (8.46 miles) since its landing. The view combines 276 different exposures taken with Opportunity's panoramic camera (Pancam)—92 pointings, with three filters at each pointing. The component images were taken during the period from the rover's 1,716th Martian day, or sol, to the mission's Sol 1719 (Nov. 21 to 24, 2008). Opportunity has driven 1.83 kilometers (1.14 miles) since it exited Victoria Crater on Sol 1634 (Aug. 28, 2008). It skirted the west rim of Victoria and, at the point from which this panorama was taken, had reached a position about a kilometer (six-tenths of a mile) southwest of the south rim of the crater. North is in the center of the panorama. Rover tracks are visible from the drive to the location from which the Pancam captured this view. For scale, the distance between the parallel wheel tracks is about one meter (3 feet).Opportunity is on a 12-kilometer (7-mile) trek toward Endeavour crater (see PIA11737) a crater more than 20 times the size of Victoria Crater, which Opportunity studied for about two years. On the way toward Endeavour the rover is pausing to examine selected loose rocks on the surface. At the location from which this panorama was taken, the rover used the spectrometers on its robotic arm to examine a cobble informally called "Santorini," a dark rock about 8 centimeters (3 inches) long, which the inspection indicates is probably a meteorite. The rock is too close to the rover to be visible in this panorama.The lighter-toned patches of ground in this view are sulfate-rich bedrock. Darker patches are dark, windblown sand. The metal post in the foreground is the top of Opportunity's low-gain antenna.Opportunity began driving again on Sol 1748 (Dec. 23, 2008).This is a false-color, red-green-blue composite panorama generated from images taken through the Pancam's 750-nanometer, 530-nanometer and 430-nanometer filters. The false color enhances visibility of differences among the types of rock and soil material in the image. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity recorded this view of the summit of 'Cape Tribulation,' on the western rim of Endeavour Crater on the day before the rover drove to the top. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity recorded this view of the summit of "Cape Tribulation," on the western rim of Endeavour Crater, on the day before the rover drove to the top. This crest is about 440 feet (about 135 meters) higher in elevation than the plain surrounding the crater, higher than any other point Opportunity has reached since it began exploring the Endeavour rim in 2011. This view combines four images taken by Opportunity's navigation camera on Jan. 5, 2015, during the 3,893rd Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars. The summit is about 40 feet (about 12 meters) southwest of the location from which the images were taken.JPL manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more information about Spirit and Opportunity, visit http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows Gasa Crater located on the floor of a larger unnamed crater Eridania Planitia. | Context imageThis VIS image shows Gasa Crater located on the floor of a larger unnamed crater Eridania Planitia. Gullies dissect the rims of both craters.Orbit Number: 83302 Latitude: -35.6906 Longitude: 129.494 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-09-24 09:28Please 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. | |
Sample tube number 266 was used to collect the first sample of Martian rock by NASA's Perseverance rover. The laser-etched serial number helps science team identify the tubes and their contents. | This image, taken in a clean room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, shows sample tube number 266, which was used to collect the first sample of Martian rock by NASA's Perseverance rover. The laser-etched serial number helps science team identify the tubes and their contents. Perseverance carries 43 sample tubes, 38 of which have been tasked to carry different samples from a variety of geologic units and surface materials. The other five are "witness tubes" that (prior to launch) were loaded with materials geared to capture molecular and particulate contaminants. They'll be opened one at a time on Mars to witness the ambient environment primarily near sample collection sites, so the science team can catalog any impurities that may have traveled with the tube from Earth or contaminants from the spacecraft that may be present during sample collection.Made chiefly of titanium, each sample tube for Perseverance weighs less than 2 ounces (57 grams) and is less than 6 inches long. . A white exterior coating guards against heating by the Sun potentially changing the chemical composition of the samples after Perseverance deposits the tubes on the surface of Mars.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 two hills in the distance in this stereo image from NASA's Mars Pathfinder have been dubbed the 'Twin Peaks.' 3D glasses are necessary to identify surface detail. | Many prominent rocks near the Sagan Memorial Station are featured in this image, taken in stereo by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) on Sol 3. 3D glasses are necessary to identify surface detail. The two hills in the distance, approximately one to two kilometers away, have been dubbed the "Twin Peaks" and are of great interest to Pathfinder scientists as objects of future study. The white areas on the left hill, called the "Ski Run" by scientists, may have been formed by hydrologic processes. A lander petal, airbag, and the rear ramp are at the lower area of the image.The image was taken by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) after its deployment on Sol 3. Mars Pathfinder was developed and managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The IMP was developed by the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory under contract to JPL. Peter Smith is the Principal Investigator.Click below to see the left and right views individually.LeftRight
Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows near-polar dunes, clear of frost as summer has reached its height for the northern hemisphere of Mars. | Context image for PIA11269Polar DunesThese near-polar dunes are clear of frost as summer has reached its height for the northern hemisphere of Mars.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 79.8N, Longitude 148.1E. 20 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Spirit rover took this image showing Mars' soil is marked by wind-blown ripples and dust deposits, indicating that the summit is a very windy place. The soil composition is similar to that of deposits found in the plains. | Annotated image of PIA04190Busy at 'Lambert'As NASA's Spirit rover stood on the summit of "Husband Hill" to acquire a 360-degree panorama, its front hazard-identification cameras took this image of an area called "Lambert." The rover also used the instruments on its robotic arm to acquire data on an undisturbed soil deposit called "Whymper." Additional data were collected on soils disturbed by the rover's wheels.The soil is marked by wind-blown ripples and dust deposits, indicating that the summit is a very windy place. The soil composition is similar to that of deposits found in the plains, which suggests that wind has homogenized these materials over long distances. | |
The movement of sand grains in the scoop on the end of NASA InSight's robotic arm suggests that the spacecraft's self-hammering mole had begun tapping the bottom of the scoop while hammering on June 20, 2020. | Click here for animationAfter the scoop on the end of NASA's Mars InSight lander was used to push down on the top of the spacecraft's "mole," or self-hammering heat probe, it was held in place to essentially block the mole from popping out of the soil. The movement of sand grains in the scoop, seen here, suggested that the mole had began bumping up against the bottom of the scoop while hammering on June 20, 2020.JPL manages InSight for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. InSight is part of NASA's Discovery Program, managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the InSight spacecraft, including its cruise stage and lander, and supports spacecraft operations for the mission.A number of European partners, including France's Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), are supporting the InSight mission. CNES and the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP) provided the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) instrument, with significant contributions from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany, the Swiss Institute of Technology (ETH) in Switzerland, Imperial College and Oxford University in the United Kingdom, and JPL. DLR provided the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3) instrument, with significant contributions from the Space Research Center (CBK) of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Astronika in Poland. Spain's Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) supplied the wind sensors.For more information about the mission, go to https://mars.nasa.gov/insight. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is THEMIS ART IMAGE #62 The unusual erosion around these craters gives the appearance of gears in a machine. | Context image for PIA08508THEMIS ART #62Back by popular demand: THEMIS ART IMAGE #62 The unusual erosion around these craters gives the appearance of gears in a machine.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 15.4N, Longitude 201.4E. 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. | |
Shalbatana Vallis dominates this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageShalbatana Vallis dominates today's VIS image.Orbit Number: 44005 Latitude: 13.8348 Longitude: 317.526 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-11-15 16:10Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows layered sedimentary rocks in southwestern Melas Chasma on Mars. | 5 March 2005 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows layered sedimentary rocks in southwestern Melas Chasma.Location near: 10.0°S, 75.9°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Autumn | |
This image acquired on September 15, 2019 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows the floor of an old impact crater in Arabia Terra. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionThis image of the floor of an old impact crater in Arabia Terra shows evidence of multiple different geological processes, both ancient and modern. The linear ridges and scarps formed eons ago, perhaps as fractures filled with lava or some other dark material that is more resistant to erosion than the surrounding materials in the crater floor. Boulders up to 3 meters in diameter are strewn downslope on both sides of the dark ridge near the center of the picture.The nearby knob is the source of several long dark slope streaks. These dark streaks are probably caused by dust avalanches that remove bright dust and reveal the darker subsurface below. These streaks likely formed within the last few years, based on HiRISE observations of slope streaks elsewhere on Mars.The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 56.8 centimeters [22.4 inches] per pixel [with 2 x 2 binning]; objects on the order of 170 centimeters [66.9 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 stereo image mosaic from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor is of Mars' south polar terrain. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image. | Click on an individual image for full resolution imageThe data acquired by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) during the period between September 1999 and February 2000--now available for viewing in the MGS MOC GALLERY--include hundreds of pictures taken in support of the Mars Polar Lander mission before and after the attempted landing. Repeated efforts to find the lost lander during December 1999 and January - February 2000 resulted in several overlapping pictures taken from different angles as the spacecraft was pointed off its usual nadir--looking straight down--imaging position. Pictures such as these are perfect for 3-D, or, stereo, viewing. The context image on the right shows, at 20 meters (66 ft) per pixel, the mosaic of MOC images obtained to search for the lost lander. The four small white boxes show the locations of 3D views in the picture on the left. To view these in stereo, you need red-blue 3D glasses (red filter over left eye, blue over right). Each stereo (3-D) image covers an area approximately 750 by 750 meters (about 1/2 a mile on a side). The terrain appears to be rugged, but the cause of this relief is unknown. Perhaps wind and frost have shaped this landscape. The Mars Polar Lander was lost during descent on December 3, 1999. Its location was not found in the MOC images (finding the lander would have been very difficult, because it is so small--smaller than a Volkswagen "Beetle"--and the camera was not really designed to see things that small; see Mars Polar Lander: The Search Begins). These images are located near 76.3°S, 195.0°W. North is toward the top and illumination is from the upper left. For scale, two small squares in each 3-D image are 10 m on a side, 40 m apart horizontally, and 10 m apart vertically (10 m = 10.9 yards; 40 m = 47.3 yards). | |
The mound in the center of this image appears to have blocked the path of the dunes as they marched south across the scene. North is to the left in this image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThe mound in the center of this image appears to have blocked the path of the dunes as they marched south (north is to the left in this image) across the scene. Many of these transverse dunes have slipfaces that face south, although in some cases, it's hard to tell for certain. Smaller dunes run perpendicular to some of the larger-scale dunes, probably indicating a shift in wind directions in this area.Although it might be hard to tell, this group of dunes is very near the central pit of a 35-kilometer-wide impact crater. Data from other instruments indicate the presence of clay-like materials in the rock exposed in the central pit.This is a stereo pair with ESP_013319_1685.The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 52 centimeters (20.5 inches) per pixel (with 2 x 2 binning); objects on the order of 156 centimeters (61.4 inches) across are resolved.] North is up.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 Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
Several gullies of different sizes in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft are located on the southern rim of this unnamed crater in Terra Cimmeria. | Context imageSeveral gullies of different sizes are located on the southern rim of this unnamed crater in Terra Cimmeria. The gullies form on the north-facing rim which gets more sun related warming than the south-facing rim.Orbit Number: 49393 Latitude: -48.25 Longitude: 129.612 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-02-01 01:39 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 by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows Utopia Planitia, a large plain in the northern hemisphere of Mars. It is believed that this basin is the result of a large impact. | (Released 15 May 2002)The ScienceThis image is located in Utopia Planitia, a large plain in the northern hemisphere. It is believed that this basin is the result of a large impact. On the right side of the image is a partially imaged crater with a well-preserved ejecta blanket. The morphology of the ejecta implies that the crater is young relative to the surrounding material and has not undergone extensive deposition or erosion. Surrounding the crater are polygonal troughs in the smooth surface material. This polygon pattern is relatively common in the northern plains of Mars, and are primarily located in Acidalia Planitia, Elysium Planitia, and Utopia Planitia. These troughs are believed to be small grabbens, however, scientist are currently debating the origin of these features. The two most accepted hypotheses are that these grabbens either form as volcanic material cools and contracts, or are produced as sediment shrinks as a result of compaction.The StoryWhen you think of Utopia, you probably don't think of a large Martian plain, riddled with troughs and pockmarked by craters. Of course, it may actually be a more fitting name than you think. When Sir Thomas More wrote his book about a fictitiously optimal place guided and governed by reason, he made up the word utopia from Greek words meaning "nowhere."Utopia Planitia became "somewhere" for the first time, however, when its first visitor, the Viking 2 lander, settled down and analyzed the area. And scientists today are using their own reasoning and logic to discern even more about how this northern Martian plain developed geologically.Right now, scientists have two hypotheses for how the troughs seen here were formed. Because Utopia Planitia is a volcanic region of Mars, these rifts in the surface could have formed when volcanic material cooled and then contracted. Alternatively, this area might be made up of a lot of sediments - small particles of rock, soil, and dust deposited in the area. Just like any loose material, it could have compacted together in places or "shrunk down" to create the lowered rifts in the terrain.The polygonal patterns of these troughs can be seen more widely in the context image to the right. On Earth, we can sometimes see this pattern occurring in the Arctic and subarctic, where permafrost creates polygonal, "frozen-soil wedges" that form an almost honeycomb pattern throughout the terrain. We know from Viking 2 pictures that it can be pretty cold in this area, as a thin layer of white ground frost was observed there during a few of the Martian winters.The whiter, brighter material near the crater, however, isn't frost or snow, but instead the record of all of the material that was once ejected from the crater at the left-hand-side of the image. You can see by the smoothness of the crater rim and the clarity of where the ejected material landed that there hasn't been much erosion. That means this crater is fairly young. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows the central portion of Hephaestus Fossae. Hephaestus Fossae is a complex channel system in Utopia Planitia near Elysium Mons. | Context imageThis VIS image is located in the central portion of Hephaestus Fossae. Hephaestus Fossae is a complex channel system in Utopia Planitia near Elysium Mons. It has been proposed that the channel formed by the release of melted subsurface ice during the impact event that created a large crater southeast of this image. Additionally, the nearby Elysium volcanic center created subsurface heating that may have played a part in creating both Hephaestus Fossae and Hebrus Valles to the north.Orbit Number: 82079 Latitude: 18.8004 Longitude: 124.5724 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-06-15 16:56Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows dunes in a topographic low within Aonia Terra. | Context imageThis VIS image shows dunes in a topographic low within Aonia Terra.Orbit Number: 49200 Latitude: -49.641 Longitude: 293.813 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-01-16 04:27 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 Odyssey shows the eastern flank of Pavonis Mons where it meets the surrounding volcanic plains. The arced features toward the top are fractures and lava tubes that were revealed by collapse of the roof of the tube into the unde | Context imageToday's VIS image is of the eastern flank of Pavonis Mons where the volcano meets the surrounding volcanic plains. The arced features toward the top of the image are fractures and lava tubes that were revealed by collapse of the roof of the tube into the underlying void.Orbit Number: 72343 Latitude: 0.300092 Longitude: 249.729 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-04-05 21:52Please 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 image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Candor Chasma. Candor Chasma is one of the largest canyons that make up Valles Marineris. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of Candor Chasma. Candor Chasma is one of the largest canyons that make up Valles Marineris. It is approximately 810 km long (503 miles) and has is divided into two regions – eastern and western Candor Chasma. Candor Chasma is located south of Ophir Chasma and north of Melas Chasma. The border with Melas Chasma contains many large landslide deposits. The floor of Candor Chasma includes a variety of landforms, including layered deposits, dunes, landslide deposits and steep sided cliffs and mesas. Many forms of erosion have shaped Candor Chasma. There is evidence of wind and water erosion, as well as significant gravity driven mass wasting (landslides). The bright features in this image are layered deposits that have been eroded by wind, and possible water.Orbit Number: 89623 Latitude: -6.93421 Longitude: 291.118 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-02-26 20:41Please 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 graph shows the relative concentrations of bromine and chlorine at various locations on Earth and Mars. Typically, bromine and chlorine stick together in a fixed ratio, as in martian meteorites and Earth seawater. | This graph shows the relative concentrations of bromine and chlorine at various locations on Earth and Mars. Typically, bromine and chlorine stick together in a fixed ratio, as in martian meteorites and Earth seawater. But sometimes the elements split apart and their relative quantities diverge. This separation is usually caused by evaporation processes, as in the Dead Sea on Earth. On Mars, at Meridiani Planum and Gusev Crater, this split has been observed to an even greater degree than seen on Earth. This puzzling result is currently being further explored by Mars Exploration Rover scientists. Data for the Mars locations were taken by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. | |
The dunes in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are near the large dune field called Olympia Undae. | Context imageThe dunes in this VIS image are near the large dune field called Olympia Undae.Orbit Number: 55154 Latitude: 78.8498 Longitude: 154.617 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-05-21 04:38Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image shows a partial view of the deck of NASA's InSight lander, where it stands on the Martian plains Elysium Planitia. | A partial view of the deck of NASA's InSight lander, where it stands on the Martian plains Elysium Planitia. The color-calibrated image was received on Dec. 4, 2018 (Sol 8). InSight's robotic arm with its stowed grapple can be seen above the deck, and jutting out from the front of the deck is one of the boxy attitude control system thrusters that helped control the spacecraft's landing. The circular silver inset of the propellant tank can also be seen in the middle of the image, as well as one of the connections for the aeroshell and parachute, which looks like a cupholder in the foreground. Next to the propellant tank is the UHF antenna, which helps the lander communicate with Earth. In the background, part of one of InSight's solar panels is visible.JPL manages InSight for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. InSight is part of NASA's Discovery Program, managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.A number of European partners, including France's Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), are supporting the InSight mission. CNES, and the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), provided the SEIS instrument, with significant contributions from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany, the Swiss Institute of Technology (ETH) in Switzerland, Imperial College and Oxford University in the United Kingdom, and JPL. DLR provided the HP3 instrument, with significant contributions from the Space Research Center (CBK) of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Astronika in Poland. Spain's Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) supplied the wind sensors.For more information about the mission, go to https://mars.nasa.gov/insight. | |
Rare tear-shaped dark dunes in this 6.4 x 7.0 km image (frame 10004) centered near 47 degrees south, 341 degrees west, taken by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter. | Rare tear-shaped dark dunes in this 6.4 x 7.0 km image (frame 10004) centered near 47 degrees south, 341 degrees west.Figure caption from Science Magazine. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor took a variety of pictures of the martian fretted terrain, particularly during the months of April through September 1998. This lineated valley shows fill on the floors of some straight, narrow canyons named the Coloe Fossae. | The topography of Mars is grossly divided into two zones: low, uncratered plains that cover most of the northern hemisphere of Mars, and high-standing, heavily cratered areas that cover the southern and part of the northern hemisphere. Between these two zones is a third, characterized by a complicated mix of cliffs, mesas, buttes, straight-walled and sinuous canyons. This zone is known as the "fretted terrain" and is most common in northern Arabia, between latitudes 30°N and 50°N and longitudes 270°W and 360°W. The terrain in this zone appears as if something has destroyed the cratered terrain, leaving behind the lower plains. The processes that shape this terrain have puzzled Mars scientists since the region was discovered in Mariner 9 images of the early 1970s.Steep-walled valleys with lineations--ridges and grooves--on their floors are common in the fretted terrain. The material comprising these valley floors is called lineated valley fill. In some of the best images taken by the Viking Orbiters in the late 1970s, some of the valley fill appeared to resemble alpine glaciers like those seen on Earth. Given this superficial similarity, some scientists assumed that the lineations on these valley floors might have formed by flow of ice in (and perhaps through) these canyons and valleys.The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) took a variety of pictures of the martian fretted terrain, particularly during the months of April through September of 1998. MOC image 46704 (above) was taken on August 2, 1998. It shows a very high resolution view of lineated valley fill on the floors of some straight, narrow canyons named the Coloe Fossae. The image reveals that the canyon walls are very smooth and generally featureless. The canyon floors display a complex set of ridges and grooves that are generally parallel to the cliffs, but in some places these are partly buried by a smooth-surfaced material. The general impression is that the ridges and grooves on the valley floors represent material that has been shed from the smooth canyon walls and was subsequently modified by wind. It is not clear whether any of this material is moving or flowing as it would in an ice-rich deposit (e.g., a glacier).The picture shown is a subframe of MOC image 46703. The scene is 5.5 km by 21.5 km (3.4 miles by 13.4 miles). The image as presented here has a resolution of about 13.2 meters (43 feet) per pixel. The subframe is centered at 34.4°N latitude and 302.0°W longitude. (CLICK HERE for a context image). North is approximately up, illumination is from the right.Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows fractures and collapse features that were formed by the collapse of Alba Mons into it's magma chamber after a large eruption. | Context image for PIA11872Ceraunius FossaeThe fractures and collapse features in this VIS image were formed by the collapse of Alba Mons into it's magma chamber after a large eruption.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 30.0N, Longitude 252.0E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Nili Fossae. The linear depressions crossing the center of the image are graben. | 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 Nili Fossae. The linear depressions crossing the center of the image are graben, a landform created by the movement of blocks of material downward between paired faults.Orbit Number: 69867 Latitude: 18.6065 Longitude: 76.3487 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-09-13 22:23Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows several regions of sand dunes located on the southern part of Kaiser Crater. | Context imageThis VIS image is located in Kaiser Crater and shows several regions of sand dunes located on the southern part of the crater floor. The crater floor is visible between the dunes, indicating that there is a limited sand supply creating the dunes. These dunes are composed of basaltic sand that has collected in the bottom of the crater. The topographic depression of the crater forms a sand trap that prevents the sand from escaping. Dune fields are common in the bottoms of craters on Mars and appear as dark splotches that often lean up against the downwind walls of the craters. Dunes are useful for studying both the geology and meteorology of Mars. The sand forms by erosion of larger rocks, but it is unclear when and where this erosion took place on Mars or how such large volumes of sand could be formed. Local winds continue to move the sand dunes across the crater floor. There are two sides to a dune, the low angle slope of the windward face and the high angle slope of the leeward side. The steep side is called the slip face. Wind blows sand grains up the low angle slope of the dunes which then "fall down" the slip face. In this way the whole dune moves towards the slip face. The winds blow from the windward to the leeward side of the dunes. In this image the slip faces are on the left side of the dune, so the dunes are slowly moving to the left side of this image. Kaiser Crater is 207km in diameter (129 miles) and is located in Noachis Terra west of Hellas Planitia.Orbit Number: 92902 Latitude: -47.3127 Longitude: 19.2697 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-11-23 20:18Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander used the motorized rasp on the back of its robotic arm scoop on July 26, 2008 to penetrate a hard layer at the bottom of a trench informally called Snow White.This image shows most of the 16 holes left by a four-by-four array. | NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander used the motorized rasp on the back of its robotic arm scoop during the mission's 60th Martian day, or sol, (July 26, 2008) to penetrate a hard layer at the bottom of a trench informally called "Snow White." This view, taken by the lander's Surface Stereo Imager and presented in approximately true color, shows the trench later the same sol.Most of the 16 holes left by a four-by-four array of rasp placements are visible in the central area of the image.A total 3 cubic centimeters, or about half a teaspoon, of material was collected in the scoop. Material in the scoop was collected both by the turning rasp, which threw material into the scoop through an opening at the back of the scoop, and by the scoop's front blade, which was run over the rasped area to pick up more shavings.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 360-degree navigation camera mosaic was taken by Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on March 9, 2004, after a drive that brought the rover to less than 20 meters (66 feet) from the rim of the crater nicknamed 'Bonneville.' | This 360-degree navigation camera mosaic was taken by Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on March 9, 2004, after a drive that brought the rover to less than 20 meters (66 feet) from the rim of the crater nicknamed "Bonneville." The vista provides a glimpse of the far side of the rim. It also includes a close-up look at a 1-meter-tall (3.3-foot-tall) rock called "The Hole Point," which which has served as a beacon for scientists and rover operators in guiding the rover toward the crest of this rim.Scientists are anxious for Spirit to get to the very edge of the crater rim and peer down inside. From that vantage, Spirit will examine the floor and walls of the crater, where layers may be exposed that are older than the surface material on the terrain outside of the crater. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the side of the large mesa at the top of the image and the southern canyon cliff face at the bottom. | Context image This image shows the side of the large mesa at the top of the image and the southern canyon cliff face at the bottom. Materials on the floor of the chasma originated from both features. Although the cliff faces are eroding differently, both contribute to the rough floor seen in the center of the image. 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: 39664 Latitude: -1.49358 Longitude: 283.431 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-11-23 04:54Please 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 Global Surveyor taken in April 1998 shows the floor of Elysium Basin revealing that the basin floor is covered with lava, not lake sediment. The surface texture of this lava includes broken up giant plates. | The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) was designed--in part--to test the variety of hypotheses about the history of Mars that have been proposed since the Mariner and Viking missions of the 1960s and 1970s.In April 1998, one of the efforts undertaken by the MOC science team was to test two competing ideas about the history of the Elysium Basin--a huge depression that stretches about 3,000 kilometers (1,865 miles) east-to-west in the region south of the Elysium volcanic rise.There were two competing ideas about the Elysium Basin. One hypothesis held that the depression was once the site of a vast lake approximately 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) deep. Because the floor of Elysium Basin has very few small, fresh impact craters, it was proposed that this lake dried up relatively recently in martian history--that is, the lake would have been younger than most of the volcanoes, craters, and even the Ares Vallis flood channel in which is located the Mars Pathfinder landing site. At some point, the lake in Elysium Basin was thought to have reached such a depth that it began to spill over arise on its east end. The water spilling out the east end of Elysium Basin was thought to have created Marte Vallis--a channel containing streamlined islands that stretches for hundreds of kilometers (miles) to the northeast. The lake bed and channel, it was proposed, might make good places to land future rovers that could travel around and collect samples that might contain evidence of past martian life.The other hypothesis held that the Elysium Basin floor was covered with flows that were emplaced as extremely fluid lava (molten rock). It was suggested that a lake of water could have been in the basin long, long ago, but that the most recent geologic events had erupted huge volumes of very fluid lava across the basin floor. Some of this lava was proposed to have even poured out of the basin and travelled down Marte Vallis. In this hypothesis, it was assumed that Marte Vallis--named for the Spanish word for "Mars"--was first carved by water, and then was a conduit for lava from volcanic eruptions. The lavas were proposed to have been very fluid--behaving almost limewater. Such fluid lavas are known on Earth to result from molten rock that has a low concentration of silica, a high temperature, and/or a high eruption rate.This MOC image, and MOC images 21904 and 23804, of the floor of Elysium Basin taken in April 1998 revealed that the basin floor is covered with lava, not lake sediment. In other words, MOC has found that the Elysium Basin might not be a good place to look for evidence of martian life that might have existed in a lake.However, the lava textures that MOC found are striking and indicate something very important about the geologic history of Mars. The surface texture of this lava includes giant plates that appear to have been broken up and floated on the surface of a fluid. In this case, the fluid was molten lava. The implication is that the Elysium Basin was once the site of giant, ponded lava flows that were many hundreds of kilometers (miles) across.With the MOC images in hand, it is now quite easy to understand the older, lower-resolution Viking images ( Elysium Basin and Marte Vallis region,Viking 1 base map from 631st orbit,Viking 1 mosaic of local context). These Viking images showed a surface of dark plates with intervening bright surfaces. But they did not make sense--some thought they could somehow be volcanic, others thought they might be related to differences in the way that wind had eroded a dried lakebed. Now it can be seen that there are many dark plates that once floated on molten lava. When the lava was erupted, the upper surface crusted and cooled. The textures in these lavas indicate that they flowed and became cracked. Some cracks widened, and portions of the surface crust became rafts of solid rock--a few many kilometers (miles) across--that moved in the direction that the lava underneath was flowing. Other Viking and MGS images have shown similar platey lava textures in Marte Vallis, suggesting the possibility that some of the lava spilled into this valley and flowed thousands of kilometers (hundreds of miles) to the northeast.The sparse occurrence of younger impact craters on the platey lava surfaces suggests that the eruptions happened relatively recently in Mars history. These eruptions would be much younger than the youngest of the large martian volcanoes like Ascraeus Mons and Olympus Mons in the Tharsis region; but they would still have occurred many, many millions of years ago (i.e., the pictures are not evidence that Mars is volcanically active today).The MOC science team is continuing to study the images of Marte Vallis and Elysium Basin. Similar lava textures have been seen elsewhere on the planet, and are leading to some interesting revisions of our understanding of the volcanic and geologic history of the red planet. It should be noted that the observation of a volcanic surface in Elysium basin does not rule out the possibility that the depression was also once the site of a water lake, nor is it clear whether Marte Vallis is the result of volcanism alone, or volcanism that occurred some time after water had been present to carve the channel system.The results of the initial study of the Elysium Basin are given in a paper entitled "Mars Global Surveyor Camera Tests the Elysium Basin Controversy: It's Lava, Not Lake Sediments," by Alfred S. McEwen, K. S. Edgett, M. C. Malin, L. Keszthelyi, and P. Lanagan, presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting on October 29, 1998.Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Terra Sirenum. The linear features at the top of the image are tectonic features called graben. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Terra Sirenum. The linear features at the top of the image are tectonic features called graben. These graben are part of Sirenum Fossae. Graben are formed by extension of the crust and faulting. When large amounts of pressure or tension are applied to rocks on timescales that are fast enough that the rock cannot respond by deforming, the rock breaks along faults. In the case of a graben, two parallel faults are formed by extension of the crust and the rock in between the faults drops downward into the space created by the extension.The graben in this image are trending from north-northeast to south-southwest. Because the faults defining the graben are formed perpendicular to the direction of the applied stress, we know that extensional forces were pulling the crust apart in the west-northwest/east-southeast direction. The Sirenum Fossae graben are 2735km (1700 miles) long.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: 91654 Latitude: -33.0364 Longitude: 206.174 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-08-13 01:31Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its rock abrasion tool on a rock informally named 'Gagarin.' This false-color image shows the circular mark created where the tool exposed the interior of the rock at a target called 'Yuri.' | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its rock abrasion tool on a rock informally named "Gagarin" during the 401st and 402nd Martian days, or sols, of the rover's work on Mars (March 10 and 11, 2005). This false-color image shows the circular mark created where the tool exposed the interior of the rock Gagarin at a target called "Yuri." The circle is about 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter. Gagarin is at the edge of a highly eroded, small crater that was informally named "Vostok" for the spacecraft that carried Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in the first human spaceflight, on April 12, 1961.This image combines exposures taken through three different filters by Opportunity's panoramic camera on Sol 405 (March 14, 2005). The view is presented in false color to emphasize differences among materials in the rocks and the soils.Images showing the context for the location of Vostok crater are at PIA07193 and PIA07471. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This false-color image released on May 17, 2004 from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey of a crater near Nili Fossae on Mars was acquired July 31, 2002, during northern spring. | Released 17 May 2004This image of a crater near Nili Fossae was acquired July 31, 2002, during northern spring.The THEMIS VIS camera is capable of capturing color images of the martian surface using its five different color filters. In this mode of operation, the spatial resolution and coverage of the image must be reduced to accommodate the additional data volume produced from the use of multiple filters. To make a color image, three of the five filter images (each in grayscale) are selected. Each is contrast enhanced and then converted to a red, green, or blue intensity image. These three images are then combined to produce a full color, single image. Because the THEMIS color filters don't span the full range of colors seen by the human eye, a color THEMIS image does not represent true color. Also, because each single-filter image is contrast enhanced before inclusion in the three-color image, the apparent color variation of the scene is exaggerated. Nevertheless, the color variation that does appear is representative of some change in color, however subtle, in the actual scene. Note that the long edges of THEMIS color images typically contain color artifacts that do not represent surface variation.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 21.2, Longitude 75.6 East (284.4 West). 38 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Pathfinder's forward rover ramp can be seen successfully unfurled in this color image, taken at the end of July 6, 1997 by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP). he square at the end of the ramp is one of the spacecraft's magnetic targets. | Mars Pathfinder's forward rover ramp can be seen successfully unfurled in this color image, taken at the end of Sol 2 by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP). This ramp was not used for the deployment of the microrover Sojourner, which occurred at the end of Sol 2. When this image was taken, Sojourner was still latched to one of the lander's petals, waiting for the command sequence that would execute its descent off of the lander's petal. The image helped Pathfinder scientists determine whether to deploy the rover using the forward or backward ramps and the nature of the first rover traverse. The metallic object at lower left is part of the lander's low-gain antenna. The square at the end of the ramp is one of the spacecraft's magnetic targets.Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is an operating division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) was developed by the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory under contract to JPL. Peter Smith is the Principal Investigator.
Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998. | |
This dust avalanche is located in part of Noctis Labyrinthus on Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA02197DustThis dust avalanche is located in part of Noctis Labyrinthus.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -4.6N, Longitude 266.3E. 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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows gullies formed in material on the walls of an impact crater in the martian southern hemisphere. A liquid, laden with debris, poured down these slopes to form the gullies. | 18 June 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a 1.5 meters per pixel view of gullies formed in material on the walls of an impact crater in the martian southern hemisphere. A liquid, laden with debris, poured down these slopes to form the gullies. Gully erosion cut through a thick mantle that covers the original crater wall, and then cut into the old wall itself. The source of the liquid might have been within the layered material exposed in the crater walls.Location near: 46.6°S, 151.8°W Image width: ~2 km (~1.2 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Spring | |
This image released on July 15, 2004 from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows windstreaks are features caused by the interaction of wind and topographic landforms such as yardangs, the remains of the rim and ejecta of the large impact crater on Mars. | Released 15 July 2004The atmosphere of Mars is a dynamic system. Water-ice clouds, fog, and hazes can make imaging the surface from space difficult. Dust storms can grow from local disturbances to global sizes, through which imaging is impossible. Seasonal temperature changes are the usual drivers in cloud and dust storm development and growth. Eons of atmospheric dust storm activity has left its mark on the surface of Mars. Dust carried aloft by the wind has settled out on every available surface; sand dunes have been created and moved by centuries of wind; and the effect of continual sand-blasting has modified many regions of Mars, creating yardangs and other unusual surface forms. The yardangs in today's image are the remains of the rim and ejecta of the large impact crater at the top right of the image. The black pixels are due to exposure saturation.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -1.9, Longitude 152.8 East (207.2 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows dark slope streaks on ridges in the Lycus Sulci region, north of the Olympus Mons volcano. Slope streaks form in the dry, dust-mantled regions of Mars. | 21 March 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows dark slope streaks on ridges in the Lycus Sulci region, north of the Olympus Mons volcano. Slope streaks form in the dry, dust-mantled regions of Mars. The darker streaks formed more recently than lighter ones, perhaps within the past Mars year or two. These streaks are located near 24.1°N, 146.1°W. This picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left. | |
These annotated images show two views of the Séítah geologic unit of Mars' Jezero Crater. | These annotated images show two views of the "Séítah" geologic unit of Mars' Jezero Crater. The map on the left shows terrain features of the crater with annotations depicting the rover's route during its first science campaign. "Artuby" is a ridgeline running along a portion of the southern boundary of Séítah. "Dourbes" is the name of an abrading target on a rock in South Séítah.The multi-hued map on the right shows the diversity of igneous (solidified from lava or magma) minerals in the same region. Olivine is shown in red. Calcium-poor pyroxene in green. Calcium-rich pyroxene is in blue.A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.For more about Perseverance:https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020nasa.gov/perseverance | |
This image released on Nov 15, 2004 from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows collapse pits are found in the southern hemisphere of Mars. They are likely lava tube collapse pits related to flows from Hadriaca Patera. | We will be looking at collapse pits for the next two weeks. Collapse pits on Mars are formed in several ways. In volcanic areas, channelized lava flows can form roofs which insulate the flowing lava. These features are termed lava tubes on Earth and are common features in basaltic flows. After the lava has drained, parts of the roof of the tube will collapse under its own weight. These collapse pits will only be as deep as the bottom of the original lava tube. Another type of collapse feature associated with volcanic areas arises when very large eruptions completely evacuate the magma chamber beneath the volcano. The weight of the volcano will cause the entire edifice to subside into the void space below it. Structural features including fractures and graben will form during the subsidence. Many times collapse pits will form within the graben. In addition to volcanic collapse pits, Mars has many collapse pits formed when volatiles (such as subsurface ice) are released from the surface layers. As the volatiles leave, the weight of the surrounding rock causes collapse pits to form.These collapse pits are found in the southern hemisphere of Mars. They are likely lava tube collapse pits related to flows from Hadriaca Patera.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -36.8, Longitude 89.6 East (270.4 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Megabreccia' is a term used to describe jumbled, fragmented blocks of rock larger than 1 meter (1.09 yard) across. This image was observed by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger version"Megabreccia" is a term we use to describe jumbled, fragmented blocks of rock larger than 1 meter (1.09 yard) across, in a matrix of finer-grained materials. It's the result of energetic processes, typically from an impact event.This image was acquired by HiRISE only in the narrow color strip, as a ridealong with a CRISM target, since HiRISE had previously imaged this location.HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the orbiter's HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its rear hazard avoidance camera to take this view toward the south during the 1,899th Martian day, or sol,
of Spirit's mission on Mars (May 6, 2009). | Click on image for larger annotated imageThe cluster of rocks labeled a "Rock Garden" in this image is where NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit became embedded in April 2009.Spirit used its navigation camera to capture this view of the terrain toward the southeast from the location Spirit reached on the 1,870th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's mission on Mars (April 7, 2009). The ground just left of the center of the image is where Spirit became embedded later in April. Wheels on the western side of the rover broke through the dark, crusty surface into bright, loose, sandy material that was not visible as the rover approached the site. | |
NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is viewed here through the Remote Microscopic Imager camera, part of the SuperCam instrument aboard NASA's Perseverance rover. This image was taken on May 14, 2021. | NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter is viewed here through the Remote Microscopic Imager (RMI) camera, part of the SuperCam instrument aboard NASA's Perseverance rover. This image was taken on May 14, 2021, the 82nd Martian day, or sol, of the mission.The RMI is able to spot a softball from nearly a mile away, allowing scientists to take images of details from a long distance. It also provides fine details of nearby targets zapped by SuperCam's laser.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/ | |
The unnamed channel in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is located in Terra Sabaea. | Context imageThis unnamed channel is located in Terra Sabaea.Orbit Number: 45962 Latitude: 32.6816 Longitude: 45.91 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-04-24 17:57Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Rover's Wheel Churns Up Bright Martian Soil (False Color) | NASA_x0092_s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired this mosaic on the mission_x0092_s 1,202nd Martian day, or sol (May 21, 2007), while investigating the area east of the elevated plateau known as _x0093_Home Plate_x0094_ in the _x0093_Columbia Hills._x0094_ The mosaic shows an area of disturbed soil, nicknamed _x0093_Gertrude Weise_x0094_ by scientists, made by Spirit's stuck right front wheel.The trench exposed a patch of nearly pure silica, with the composition of opal. It could have come from either a hot-spring environment or an environment called a fumarole, in which acidic, volcanic steam rises through cracks. Either way, its formation involved water, and on Earth, both of these types of settings teem with microbial life.The image is presented here in false color that is used to bring out subtle differences in color. | |
This image acquired on March 14, 2020 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows an area on Mars with both star and barchan dunes next to each other. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionSand dunes commonly form when particles that are being moved around by the wind find a natural barrier to accumulate and build a hill-like formation. Scientists study dunes because their shape and size can give us valuable information about the wind directions and speeds in current and past climates.For instance, barchan dunes are crescent-shaped, and they form when the wind blows mainly from one direction (perpendicular to the crescent long edge). On the other hand, "star" dunes have three or more "arms," and form in environments that that are affected by multiple wind directions. Our image shows an area on Mars with both star and barchan dunes next to each other. This implies that wind directions have changed with time, or that the surrounding landscape is creating complex wind patterns.Scientists can study HiRISE images collected over time of the same dunes to observe whether they are moving or not, and if so, how fast. By observing multiple dune systems over many seasons, we can get a better picture of wind regimes on Mars and possibly how they have evolved with time.The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 26.2 centimeters [10.3 inches] per pixel [with 1 x 1 binning]; objects on the order of 79 centimeters [31.1 inches] across are resolved.) North is up.The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows the surface of Zephyria Planum and the surrounding plains. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows the surface of Zephyria Planum and the surrounding plains. Zephyria Planum is located south of Elysium Planitia. Long term winds have eroded the surface of Zephyria Planum (top of image) and the surrounding plains. Small, linear sand dunes are visible in the rest of the image.Orbit Number: 81217 Latitude: -5.45343 Longitude: 155.853 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-04-05 17:22Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
A 3-D topographic map shows the martian crater cradling NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. | This 3-D contour map shows the martian crater currently cradling the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. It is the first look at the shape of a crater on another planet from the unique vantage point of inside the crater itself. Engineers and scientists will use this data to plot an exit route for Opportunity once it is ready to roll out of the crater; to characterize geological features of the crater; and to help pinpoint the rover's location on the surface of Mars. The crater is estimated to be 3 meters (9.8 feet) deep and 22 (72.2) meters across. The map consists of data from the rover's panoramic camera. | |
The unusual surface pattern exists at the margin of the north polar layered deposit on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA08705Polar MarginThe unusual surface pattern exists at the margin of the north polar layered deposit.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 81.1N, Longitude 299.2E. 20 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This view of 'Vera Rubin Ridge' from the ChemCam instrument on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows multiple sedimentary layers and fracture-filling deposits of minerals. | This view of "Vera Rubin Ridge" from the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows multiple sedimentary layers and fracture-filling deposits of minerals.Buried layers of what is now a ridge became fractured, and the fractures were filled with mineral deposits precipitated from underground fluids that moved through the fractures. ChemCam's telescopic Remote Micro-Imager took the 10 component images of this mosaic on July 3, 2017, during the 1,745th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars. The camera was about 377 feet (115 meters) away from the pictured portion of the ridge. The rover's location at the time, shown in a Sol 1741 traverse map, was west of the place where it began its ascent up the ridge about two months later.The scale bar at lower right indicates how wide a feature 9 inches (22.8 centimeters) in width would look in the middle portion of the scene.ChemCam is one of 10 instruments in Curiosity's science payload. The U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, developed ChemCam in partnership with scientists and engineers funded by the French national space agency (CNES), the University of Toulouse and the French national research agency (CNRS). More information about ChemCam is available at http://www.msl-chemcam.com/. | |
This cylindrical-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 cylindrical-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. | |
This image from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's shows one octant of a larger panoramic image of 'Lion King' facing directly into the crater and showing small features in the field near the rover arm, to features larger on the horizon. | This image from the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's panoramic camera shows one octant of a larger panoramic image which has not yet been fully processed. The full panorama, dubbed "Lion King" was obtained on sols 58 and 60 of the mission as the rover was perched at the lip of Eagle Crater, majestically looking down into its former home. It is the largest panorama yet obtained by either rover. The octant, which faces directly into the crater, shows features as small as a few millimeters across in the field near the rover arm, to features a few meters across or larger on the horizon.The full panoramic image was taken in eight segments using six filters per segment, for a total of 558 images and more than 75 megabytes of data. This enhanced color composite was assembled from the infrared (750 nanometer), green (530 nanometer), and violet (430 nanometer) filters. Additional lower elevation tiers were added relative to other panoramas to ensure that the entire crater was covered in the mosaic. | |
Gullies with Characteristics of Water-Carved Channels | This image from HiRISE image PSP_003583_1425 shows gully channels in a crater in the southern highlands of Mars, taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The gullies emanating from the rocky cliffs near the crater's rim (upper left) show meandering and braided patterns typical of water-carved channels. North is approximately up and illumination is from the left; scale, 26 centimeters per pixel. | |
This cylindrical-projection mosaic was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 101 (April 15, 2004). It reveals Spirit's view just before a stopping-point dubbed 'Missoula Crater.' | This right eye cylindrical-perspective mosaic was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 101 (April 15, 2004). It reveals Spirit's view just before a stopping-point dubbed "Missoula Crater." The rover is on its way to the "Columbia Hills."See PIA05777 for 3-D view and PIA05778 for left eye view of this right eye cylindrical-perspective mosaic. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft captures two channels (Nirgal Vallis is the smaller sinuous channel on the left and Uzboi Vallis is the larger channel located in the lower right) and Luki Crater located in the upper right. | (Released 9 April 2002)This THEMIS image captures two channels (Nirgal Vallis is the smaller sinuous channel on the left and Uzboi Vallis is the larger channel located in the lower right) and Luki Crater located in the upper right. The mouth of Nirgal Vallis appears to be truncated by Uzboi Vallis. This indicates that Nirgal Vallis is an older channel than Uzboi Vallis. The floor of Uzboi Vallis was subsequently bombarded by an asteroid or comet which gouged out the 21 km diameter crater named Luki. Luki is named after a town in the Ukraine. Uzboi is the name of a dry river in Russia. Nirgal is the Babylonian name for Mars. Gullies and alluvial deposits discovered by Mars Global Surveyor are clearly visible on the polar-facing (south) wall and floor of Nirgal Vallis and also in the inner rim of Luki crater. These gullies appear to emanate from a specific layer in the walls. There is a pronounced sparsity of gullies on the equator-ward facing slopes but some are present in this image. The gullies have been proposed to have formed by the subsurface release of water. The western channel wall of Uzboi Vallis does not appear to have the fine-scale gullying as does Nirgal Vallis. However, the western channel wall of Uzboi Vallis does show some evidence of downslope movement (mass wasting). Some patches of dunes are also seen on the channel floor, notably along the edges of the channel floor near the canyon walls. There is also a landslide located along the southern wall of Luki Crater. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Ariadnes Colles. The term colles means hills or knobs. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of Ariadnes Colles. The term colles means hills or knobs. The hills appear brighter than the surrounding lowlands, likely due to relatively less dust cover. Ariadnes Colles is located in Terra Cimmeria.Orbit Number: 83600 Latitude: -34.3946 Longitude: 172.31 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-10-18 22:21Please 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. | |
The Cydonia region on Mars, seen in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, straddles the boundary between the bright, dusty, cratered highlands to the southeast and the dark, relatively dust-free, lowland plains to the west. | The Cydonia region on Mars straddles the boundary between the bright, dusty, cratered highlands to the southeast and the dark, relatively dust-free, lowland plains to the west. The countless mesas and buttes that cover the region are testament to the former presence of vast layers of material that have been stripped back over the eons leaving the isolated remnants seen in this THEMIS image. Evidence of larger masses of these remnants is visible to the south in the MOLA context image. Note the lobes of ejecta emanating from the large crater in the upper right of the THEMIS image. This style of ejecta is thought to arise when an impact occurs into water or ice-rich material, indicating that at least at the time of the impact such material was present.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 small portion of Olympia Undae. Olympia Undae is a large dune field that dominates the plains along part of the north polar cap. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a small portion of Olympia Undae. Olympia Undae is a large dune field that dominates the plains along part of the north polar cap. This image was collected during the northern summer season.Orbit Number: 77565 Latitude: 80.6665 Longitude: 227.125 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-06-10 00:47Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on March 26, 2004 shows an area in the Warrego Valles region on Mars. The image shows multiple channels dissecting the terrain. | Released 26 March 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.The image shows an area in the Warrego Valles region. It was collected July 6, 2003 during northern summer season. The local time is 5pm. The image shows multiple channels dissecting the terrain. With this image, the 448th, the THEMIS Image of the Day completes its second (Earth) year. (The first image, of Nirgal Vallis, was released on 27 March 2002.) On behalf of the THEMIS team, we'd like to thank you for your continued interest and we hope you continue to come back through our third year and beyond.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -42.3, Longitude 267.5 East (92.5 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. | |
Mars digital-image mosaic merged with color of the MC-18 quadrangle, Coprates region of Mars. This image is from NASA's Viking Orbiter 1. | Mars digital-image mosaic merged with color of the MC-18 quadrangle, Coprates region of Mars. Moderately cratered and faulted highland ridged plains in the northern and southern parts are cut by the prominent Valles Marineris chasma system, which reaches depths of 10 km and extends in an east-southeast direction for about 2,500 km across the quadrangle. The long, central canyons appear to be large, fault-bounded rifts, whereas some of the isolated, northern canyons are the sources of large outflow channels. Latitude range -30 to 0 degrees, longitude range 45 to 90 degrees. | |
This nighttime thermal infrared image, taken by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, shows differences in temperature that are due to differences in the abundance of rocks, sand and dust on the surface. | This nighttime thermal infrared image, taken by the thermal emission imaging system on NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft, shows differences in temperature that are due to differences in the abundance of rocks, sand and dust on the surface. Rocks remain warm at night, as seen in the warm (bright) rim of the five kilometer (three mile) diameter crater located on the right of this image.The sinuous channel floor is cold, suggesting that it is covered by material that is more finely grained than the surrounding plains. The interior of the crater shows a great deal of thermal structure, indicating that the distribution of rocks, sand and dust varies across the floor.The presence of rocks on the rim and inner wall indicates that this crater maintains some of its original character, despite erosion and deposition by Martian winds. Nighttime infrared images such as this one will greatly aid in mapping the physical properties of Mars' surface.This image is centered at 2 degrees north, 0.4 degrees west, and was acquired at about 3:15 a.m. local Martian time. North is to the right of the image.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The thermal emission imaging system was provided by Arizona State University, Tempe. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
There is a circular feature in this observation from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft that appears to stand above the surrounding terrain. This feature is probably an inverted crater that was filled in with sediment. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThere is a circular feature in this observation that appears to stand above the surrounding terrain. This feature is probably an inverted crater: a once-normal appearing impact crater that was filled in with sediment. The fill became indurated, or hardened, until it was more resistant to subsequent erosion than the surrounding material.Other craters in this image are not inverted or substantially infilled. This suggests that they were formed after the events that filled in and later exposed the inverted crater.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. | |
The depression in the center of this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is a graben (fault bounded block of material). This graben is called Mangala Fossa. | Context imageThe depression in the center of this VIS image is a graben (fault bounded block of material). This graben is called Mangala Fossa.Orbit Number: 56489 Latitude: -20.1391 Longitude: 205.186 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-09-08 01:16Please 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. | |
In this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft a complex region of multiple overlapping landslide deposits fills most the the frame. The very top layer has the lobate edges and radial surface grooves of a low volume slide. | Context image In this VIS image a complex region of multiple overlapping landslide deposits fills most the the frame. The very top layer has the lobate edges and radial surface grooves of a low volume slide. It appears to be the top of a complex layering of materials. It is possible that all the lower layers are landslides as well. Whether the layers formed very close in time of over thousands of years can not be determined in the image. Tithonium Chasma has numerous large landslide deposits. The resistant material of the plateau surface forms the linear ridges of the canyon wall. Large landslides have changed the walls and floor of the canyon. A landslide is a failure of slope due to gravity. They initiate due to several reasons. A lower layer of poorly cemented/resistant material may have been eroded, undermining the wall above which then collapses; earth quake seismic waves can cause the slope to collapse; and even an impact event near the canyon wall can cause collapse. As millions of tons of material fall and slide down slope a scalloped cavity forms at the upper part where the slope failure occurred. At the material speeds downhill it will pick up more of the underlying slope, increasing the volume of material entrained into the landslide. Whereas some landslides spread across the canyon floor forming lobate deposits, very large volume slope failures will completely fill the canyon floor in a large complex region of chaotic blocks. Tithonium Chasma is at the western end of Valles Marineris. Valles Marineris is over 4000 kilometers long, wider than the United States. Tithonium Chasma is almost 810 kilometers long (499 miles), 50 kilometers wide and over 6 kilometers deep. In comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is about 175 kilometers long, 30 kilometers wide, and only 2 kilometers deep. The canyons of Valles Marineris were formed by extensive fracturing and pulling apart of the crust during the uplift of the vast Tharsis plateau. Landslides have enlarged the canyon walls and created deposits on the canyon floor. Weathering of the surface and influx of dust and sand have modified the canyon floor, both creating and modifying layered materials.The Odyssey spacecraft has spent over 15 years in orbit around Mars, circling the planet more than 71,000 times. It holds the record for longest working spacecraft at Mars. THEMIS, the IR/VIS camera system, has collected data for the entire mission and provides images covering all seasons and lighting conditions. Over the years many features of interest have received repeated imaging, building up a suite of images covering the entire feature. From the deepest chasma to the tallest volcano, individual dunes inside craters and dune fields that encircle the north pole, channels carved by water and lava, and a variety of other feature, THEMIS has imaged them all. For the next several months the image of the day will focus on the Tharsis volcanoes, the various chasmata of Valles Marineris, and the major dunes fields. We hope you enjoy these images!Orbit Number: 19200 Latitude: -4.54491 Longitude: 272.164 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2006-04-13 04:51Please 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. | |
Spectrometer Images of Candidate Landing Sites for Next Mars Rover | This composite shows four examples of "browse" products the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) instrument obtained of areas on Mars near proposed landing sites for NASA's 2009 Mars Science Laboratory. These examples are from two of more than 30 candidate sites. They are enhanced color images of West Candor chasm (A) and Nili Fossae trough (B); and false color images indicating the presence of hydrated (water-containing) minerals in West Candor (C); and clay-like (phyllosilicate) minerals in Nili Fossae (D).CRISM is one of six science instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Led by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md., the CRISM team includes expertise from universities, government agencies and small businesses in the United States and abroad. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Mars Science Laboratory for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the orbiter. | |
This colorglyph, acquired by NASA's Phoenix Lander's Surface Stereo Imager shows part of Phoenix's workplace and is informally called 'Wonderland.' 3D glasses are necessary to view this image. | This colorglyph, acquired by NASA's Phoenix Lander's Surface Stereo Imager on Sol 8, the eighth Martian day of the mission (June 2, 2008), shows a stereoscopic 3D view of the Martian surface near the lander. This area is part of Phoenix's workplace and is informally called "Wonderland."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. | |
Water Past and Present | This image of sulfate and water ice deposits in the Olympia Undae region of Mars was taken by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) at 2213 UTC on October 2, 2006 (6:13 p.m. EDT) near 81.6 degrees north latitude, 188.9 degrees east longitude. CRISM's image was taken in 544 colors covering 0.36-3.92 micrometers, and shows features as small as 20 meters (66 feet) across.Olympia Undae is a large dune field that stretches some 1,100 kilometers (684 miles) across the northern polar region of Mars, just south of the ice cap. The region holds a vast expanse of complex, shifting dunes and is best described as a sand sea or erg similar to the Sahara.The two images above provide interesting clues into Mars_x0092_ history by revealing the planet_x0092_s wet past and frozen present. The left image is an infrared, false-color image that reveals dark-colored dunes overlying a lighter substrate. Spectral data from CRISM and its sister instrument OMEGA suggest similar compositions of these dunes and the dark basal, or lowermost, unit of the north polar layered deposits. HIRISE images revealed cross-bedding (crossed layers that are oriented at a different angle to the main layer) in this dark unit. On Earth, cross-bedded sediments can form in both windy and watery environments. The dark polar basal unit on Mars is interpreted as a sand sheet underlying and pre-dating the ice, and now being eroded to dunes by the Martian winds.The mineralogy of the Olympia Undae region holds a record of past water. CRISM spectral data (right image) shows that the darker dunes are rich in polyhydrated sulfate (sulfates with more than one water molecule incorporated into each molecule of the mineral). The mineral gypsum is a polyhydrated sulfate, and the most likely constituent in these dunes. The gypsum probably formed by evaporation of ancient, saline water or by aqueous alteration of the silicate portion of the dune material. Areas shaded in red are cover by dust.Blue areas in both images indicate water ice, outliers of the polar cap that persist well into or even through the Martian summer. CRISM has observed these water ice outliers in shadows on north-facing slopes that are located at relatively low latitudes. In the images above, water ice is found on the northern slopes of both the inner and outer portions of a crater rim. CRISM also found that these icy outliers are concentrated in bright areas that reflect more of the sun_x0092_s warming rays and thus stay cold, and that they are less common in darker regions that absorb the sun's ray and become warmer.The combination of hydrated sulfates and water ice provides an interesting view into Mars_x0092_ geologic history. In one image we see a record of past water trapped in sulfates and present water persisting as surface ice. As CRISM continues to gather data about the mineralogy and atmosphere of Mars, a clearer picture of the planet_x0092_s wet past and frozen present emerges.CRISM is one of six science instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Led by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md., the CRISM team includes expertise from universities, government agencies and small businesses in the United States and abroad. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Mars Science Laboratory for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the orbiter. | |
The sand dunes in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are located on the floor of Lyot Crater. | Context imageThe sand dunes in this VIS image are located on the floor of Lyot Crater.Orbit Number: 47648 Latitude: 50.2217 Longitude: 28.7883 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-09-10 12:23Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows channels at the top of this image dissecting the northern rim of Cerulli Crater on Mars. | Context image for PIA10303Cerulli CraterThe channels at the top of this VIS image are dissecting the northern rim of Cerulli Crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 32.6N, Longitude 21.9E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows lava flows in Daedalia Planum. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows lava flows in Daedalia Planum.Orbit Number: 52099 Latitude: -21.4867 Longitude: 243.094 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-09-11 17:41Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft produced this gamma ray spectrometer map, which is centered on the north pole of Mars and based on gamma-rays from the element hydrogen. In this region, hydrogen is mainly in the form of water ice. | This gamma ray spectrometer map centered on the north pole of Mars is based on gamma-rays from the element hydrogen. In this region, hydrogen is mainly in the form of water ice. Regions of high ice content are shown in red and those low in ice content are shown in blue. The very ice-rich region at the north pole is due to a permanent polar cap of water ice on the surface. Elsewhere in this region, the ice is buried under several to a few tens of centimeters of dry soil. The sub-surface ice is not uniformly distributed in the north, but varies with both latitude and longitude. In the north, the soil is well over 50 percent ice, which is more than can be accommodated by just filling the pore space in pre-existing soil. This high ice content implies that the ice may have been slowly co-deposited with dust in the past when conditions were wetter. Deposition of ice by this process means it is more likely that the ice deposits are very thick and may even be deep enough to have liquid water at their base.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The gamma ray spectrometer was provided by the University of Arizona, Tucson. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, Colo., is the prime contractor for the 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 August 2019. | 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 August 2019, and its planned path to additional geological layers of lower "Mount Sharp." The blue star near top center marks "Bradbury Landing," the site where Curiosity arrived on Mars on Aug. 5, 2012, PDT (Aug. 6, EDT and Universal Time). Curiosity landed on Aeolis Palus, the plains surrounding Aeolis Mons (Mount Sharp) in Gale Crater.The base image for the map is from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on the 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 a broader-context image of the area, see PIA16058.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 taken on July 14, 2008, shows the silver colored rasp protruding from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Robotic Arm scoop. The scoop is inverted and the rasp is pointing up above a red hewn martian surface covered with rocks. | This image taken by the Surface Stereo Imager on Sol 49, or the 49th Martian day of the mission (July 14, 2008), shows the silver colored rasp protruding from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Robotic Arm scoop. The scoop is inverted and the rasp is pointing up.Shown with its forks pointing toward the ground is the thermal and electrical conductivity probe, at the lower right. The Robotic Arm Camera is pointed toward the ground.The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is led 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. | |
Ancient lava flow in Cerberus Planitia is observed here by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionLava flows cool as they move allowing their surface to freeze solid. The constant movement below this surface can break it up into a rough mass of jumbled broken rock. Sometimes larger surface areas that are thicker can behave like rafts that are dragged along by the flow.Both features are visible in this image of an ancient lava flow in Cerberus Planitia. Isolated rafts that are still high-standing are visible and frozen into the flow. The rough areas show where the flow was fastest and have merged in places forming the large chevron-shaped features we see here.HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the orbiter's HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | 16 February 2004 Northeastern Tharsis is known for its complicated patterns of wind streaks. Wind streaks are formed by sediment transport and deposition by wind. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture shows a pattern of crisscrossing streaks indicating winds that generally blow from the southwest (lower left) toward northeast (upper right), but vary over time. The image is located near 27.6°N, 98.9°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left; the image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. | |
This graphic shows the location of four cameras and a microphone on the spacecraft for NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance mission. These cameras will capture the entry, descent, and landing phase of the mission. | This graphic shows the location of four cameras and a microphone on the spacecraft for NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance mission. These cameras will capture the entry, descent, and landing phase of the mission.A division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory built and will manage operations of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover for the agency.For more information about the mission, go to https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the east margin of a landslide off the southern rim of Mutch Crater in the Xanthe Terra region of Mars. This particular landslide was likely triggered by a meteor impact that occurred nearby. | 18 November 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows the east margin of a landslide off the southern rim of Mutch Crater in the Xanthe Terra region of Mars. This particular landslide was likely triggered by a meteor impact that occurred nearby.Location near: 0.7°S, 55.9°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Southern Spring | |
Milankovic Crater is located in central Arcadia Planitia. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows small sand dunes on the crater floor, and larger dunes within the central crater peak/pit feature. | Context image Milankovic Crater is located in central Arcadia Planitia. This VIS image shows small sand dunes on the crater floor, and larger dunes within the central crater peak/pit feature. With a diameter of just under 120km, Milankovic Crater is the largest crater in the region.Orbit Number: 71870 Latitude: 54.2312 Longitude: 213.365 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-02-25 23:00Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the inverted traces of old channels in a complex, wind-eroded fan located in the Aeolis region of Mars. | 15 May 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows the inverted traces of old channels in a complex, wind-eroded fan located in the Aeolis region of Mars.Location near: 6.3°S, 208.9°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Winter |
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