short_caption
stringlengths 3
255
| caption
stringlengths 31
10.7k
| image_url
stringlengths 61
61
|
|---|---|---|
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's view from its location inside the shallow depression dubbed 'Laguna Hollow.' To get a better look at the soil making up the hollow, Spirit drove forward a bit, wiggled its wheels, then turned and backed up. | This image shows the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's view from its new location inside the shallow depression dubbed "Laguna Hollow." To get a better look at the soil making up the hollow, Spirit drove forward a bit, wiggled its wheels, then turned and backed up. The result - a scrape on the floor and a clod of dirt stuck on one of Spirit's wheels - told scientists that the soil is sticky and reminiscent of that observed at the airbag drag mark nicknamed "Magic Carpet." Spirit will further investigate this disturbed patch of soil with its robotic arm beginning today (Feb. 19, 2004). It will also dig a trench at "Laguna Hollow" with one of its wheels. This fish-eye image was taken by the rover's hazard-avoidance camera. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a suite of south mid-latitude gullies on a crater wall on Mars. Gullies such as these may have formed by runoff of liquid water. | 24 November 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a suite of south mid-latitude gullies on a crater wall. Gullies such as these may have formed by runoff of liquid water.Location near: 35.6°S, 204.5°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Summer | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a linear depression, part of Sirenum Fossae. | Context imageThe linear depression in this VIS image is part of Sirenum Fossae. Depressions of this type are called graben, which form by the down drop of material between two parallel faults. The faults are caused by tectonic stresses in the region. The Sirenum Fossae graben are 2735km (1700 miles) long.Orbit Number: 83300 Latitude: -38.3682 Longitude: 187.612 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-09-24 05:29Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the margin of a large lava flow south of the Tharsis region of Mars. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-333, 17 April 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture obtained in April 2003 shows the margin of a large lava flow south of Tharsis near 33.5°S, 137.5°W. Some of the lava broke out and poured into an adjacent crater formed by meteor impact. The picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) wide; the crater is more than twice the size of the famous Meteor Crater in northern Arizona, U.S.A. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows a close-up of texture interpreted as cross-lamination evidence that sediments forming the rock were laid down in flowing water on Mars' Meridiani Planum. | Figure 1A three-dimensional close-up visualization of this portion of the martian rock called "Last Chance" (see PIA05482) offers additional details of the cross-lamination. The visualization and the image from the panoramic camera are compared to show a point of correlation (yellow arrow, Figure 1). | |
This image shows NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars, on May 21, 2004. The rover was near the edge of 'Endurance Crater.' | This cylindrical-projection view combines several frames from the navigation camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The rover acquired these frames during its 115th martian day, or "sol," in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars, on May 21, 2004. The rover was near the edge of "Endurance Crater," which dominates the right half of this view. The crater is about 130 meters (about 430 feet) in diameter. | |
The southern section of Cydonia Region is dominated by both a series of craters and the remnants of channels that may be from a past fluvial system as seen by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThe southern section of this image is dominated by both a series of craters and the remnants of channels that may be from a past fluvial system.The paleochannel system has wind-blown bedforms in its interior, with crests oriented approximately perpendicular to the channel walls. The large rocky patch near the center of the image shows some evidence of bedding as would be expected for a river delta or other water-lain sediments, but the rough dissected nature of outcrops and superimposed aeolian bedforms and other sediments makes identification of this feature difficult.This is a stereo pair with ESP_031993_2115.The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This magnified view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity of a portion of a martian rock called 'Upper Dells' shows fine layers (laminae) that are truncated, discordant and at angles to each other. Eight spherules are embedded in the rock. | Figure 1This magnified view from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity of a portion of a martian rock called "Upper Dells" shows fine layers (laminae) that are truncated, discordant and at angles to each other. In Figure 1, interpretiveblack lines trace cross-lamination that indicates the sediments that formed the rock were laid down in flowing water; the interpretive blue lines point to boundaries between possible sets of cross-laminae.This rock, like another called "Last Chance," (see PIA05482) preserves evidence for trough cross-lamination, likely produced when flowing water shaped sinuous ripples in underwater sediment and pushed the ripples to migrate in one direction. The direction of the ancient flow would have been toward or away from the viewer.Several frames taken with Opportunity's microscopic imager during the rover's 41st sol on Mars (March 5, 2004) are stitched together to make this mosaic view. Eight spherules can be seen embedded in the rock, and one larger pebble sits on the present-day surface of the rock. | |
Only the most resistant portions of this crater's ejecta remain on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA08772Eroded EjectaOnly the most resistant portions of this crater's ejecta remain.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 17.0N, Longitude 18.9E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Gullies on Gorgonum Chaos Mesas | Click on image for larger versionThis HiRISE image (PSP_001948_1425) shows part of Gorgonum Chaos, a large cluster of chaotic terrain found in the southern hemisphere. Many regions of chaotic terrain are found at the head of large outflow channels that were scoured by ancient floods. Gorgonum Chaos is one region that is not associated with an outflow channel.Chaotic terrain can form when subsurface volatiles (such as water) are catastrophically released and the overlying surface collapses. It is not known whether isolated chaotic terrain -- such as that shown in this image -- formed in the same way that the chaotic terrain near the outflow channels did. Wind erosion might play a role in their formation.Gorgonum Chaos is an especially interesting area because gullies thought to have been eroded by liquid water are located on its mesas (see subimage); scene is approximately 4 km across). The gullies have a wide range of orientations and many appear to emanate from a distinct layer in the mesas (see subimage).It is not known why gullies form on one slope rather than another, but insolation (amount of sunlight received), availability of water, and regional slope are possible contributing factors.Observation Toolbox Acquisition date: 12 December 2006Local Mars time: 3:43 PMDegrees latitude (centered): -37.1°Degrees longitude (East): 189.5°Range to target site: 254.9 km (159.3 miles)Original image scale range: 25.5 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~76 cm across are resolvedMap-projected scale: 25 cm/pixel and north is upMap-projection: EQUIRECTANGULAREmission angle: 3.7°Phase angle: 73.5°Solar incidence angle: 70°, with the Sun about 20° above the horizonSolar longitude: 156.4°, Northern AutumnNASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
This view is a polar projection that combines more than 500 exposures taken by the Surface Stereo Imager camera on NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander and projects them as if looking down from above. | This view is a polar projection that combines more than 500 exposures taken by the Surface Stereo Imager camera on NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander and projects them as if looking down from above.The black circle on the spacecraft is where the camera itself is mounted on the lander, out of view in images taken by the camera. North is toward the top of the image. The lander's meteorology mast extends above the southwest horzon and is topped by the telltale wind gauge.The ground surface around the lander has polygonal patterning similar to patterns in permafrost areas on Earth. The landing site is at 68.22 degrees north latitude, 234.25 degrees east longitude on Mars.This view in approximately true color comprises more than 100 different Stereo Surface Imager pointings, with images taken through three different filters at each pointing. The images were taken throughout the period from the 13th Martian day, or sol, after landing to the 47th sol (June 5 through July 12, 2008). The lander's Robotic Arm is cut off in this mosaic view because component images were taken when the arm was out of the frame.The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver.Photojournal Note: As planned, the Phoenix lander, which landed May 25, 2008 23:53 UTC, ended communications in November 2008, about six months after landing, when its solar panels ceased operating in the dark Martian winter. | |
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey captured dark slope streaks, like the ones on the rim of an unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea, are thought to have been formed by material moving down slope due to gravity. | Context imageDark slope streaks, like the ones on the rim of an unnamed crater in Terra Sabaea, are thought to have been formed by material moving down slope due to gravity. As the lighter toned fine materials are removed, the darker toned underlying materials are exposed.Orbit Number: 36989 Latitude: 9.14607 Longitude: 28.0491 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-04-17 00:33Please 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 network of large and small channels dissect this highland region in Terra Cimmeria, as shown in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageA network of large and small channels dissect this highland region in Terra Cimmeria.Orbit Number: 49492 Latitude: -34.9044 Longitude: 157.71 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-02-09 05:07 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 captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows a portion of Iani Chaos. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a portion of Iani Chaos.Orbit Number: 41696 Latitude: -4.56921 Longitude: 342.843 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-05-09 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. | |
The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Juventae Chasma. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Juventae Chasma. Dunes are visible on the floor of the chasma.Orbit Number: 64372 Latitude: -5.09926 Longitude: 297.062 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-06-18 05:03Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This oblique image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter of part of the North Polar layered deposits, acquired in the summertime, shows both phenomena in the upper and lower panels, plus a topographic bend in the middle panel. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis oblique image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, of part of the North Polar layered deposits, acquired in the summertime, shows both phenomena in the upper and lower panel, plus a topographic bend in the middle panel. Blue areas in this enhanced color image are covered by frost, whereas the darker colors are from differences in contamination and texture of the icy layers.In geology, an unconformity is a buried erosion surface, where the bedding layers don't match. It doesn't mean a mismatch in attitudes and beliefs, with rebellious behavior like streaking. But Mars does have streaking of a different kind, from the wind.This is a stereo pair with ESP_018265_2595.
The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 35.2 centimeters (13.9 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning); objects on the order of 106 centimeters (41.7 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. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows an unnamed crater located in Aonia Terra. Numerous gullies dissect the inner crater rim. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows an unnamed crater located in Aonia Terra. Numerous gullies dissect the inner crater rim. This crater impacted onto the rim of the much larger Slipher Crater.Orbit Number: 74781 Latitude: -47.2405 Longitude: 273.88 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-10-23 16:58Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the floor of Marth Crater. Dark blue tones typically indicate basaltic sands. | Context imageThis false color image shows part of the floor of Marth Crater. Dark blue tones typically indicate basaltic sands. Wind action is blowing the sand and dust to the southern side of the crater floor. Marth Crater is located in Arabia Terra.The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image.Orbit Number: 60914 Latitude: 13.5027 Longitude: 356.362 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-09-07 09:58Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image shows NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in the area dubbed 'Berry Bowl,' where many dark and mysterious spherules or 'blueberries' collected in a depression on the surface of a rock. | Figure 1 Scientists are hunting down the recipe for the "blueberries" they've discovered on Mars. Taken with the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's front hazard-avoidance camera on the 45th martian day, or sol, of the rover's mission (March 10, 2004), this image shows the area dubbed "Berry Bowl," where many dark and mysterious spherules or "blueberries" collected in a depression on the surface of a rock. Opportunity is studying the blueberries for clues to their chemical composition with its suite of scientific instruments. 'Berry Bowl' is located within the rock outcrop that lines the inner edge of the crater where the rover landed. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft displays sand dunes within Proctor Crater. These dunes are composed of basaltic sand that has collected in the bottom of the crater. | This image, located near 30E and 47.5S, displays sand dunes within Proctor Crater. 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 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. The dunes also indicate the local wind directions by their morphology. In this case, there are few clear slipfaces that would indicate the downwind direction. The crests of the dunes also typically run north-south in the image. This dune form indicates that there are probably two prevailing wind directions that run east and west (left to right and right to left).Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the eastern third of an impact crater located in Acidalia Planitia on Mars featuring the walls, raised rim, and ejecta material thrown out of the crater during this blast. | The Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) onboard the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) orbiter, was designed specifically to bridge the gap between what can be seen from orbit in typical Mariner 9 and Viking orbiter images, and what can be seen from the ground by landers such as Viking 1 and Mars Pathfinder. The camera, therefore, takes pictures of extremely high resolution. These images are often comparable to aerial photographs used by geologists when they are exploring Earth. The highest resolution images that can be obtained are in the range of 1.4 to 2.0 meters (4.6 to 6.5 feet) per pixel.Last year, several pictures of a portion of the Cydonia region of Mars were photographed at lower resolution than is now possible in the Mapping Phase of the MGS mission. The Cydonia region is perhaps most "famous" for being the location of a feature that--in Viking Orbiter images--seemed to resemble a human face. Nearby buttes and hills were considered by some to represent a "city."The MGS spacecraft flew over the "famous" Cydonia landforms again--for the first time since April 1998--on June 27, 1999, at 10:53 UTC (Greenwich Time Zone). The new MOC images shown here provide the highest resolution view yet obtained of the "Cydonia city" landforms.The picture at the above left (MOC2-142a) shows the regional context. Cydonia constitutes a transition zone between the cratered highlands of Arabia Terra, and the less-cratered lowlands of Acidalia Planitia. This transition zone contains thousands of mesas and buttes--somewhat like the Monument Valley region along the Arizona/Utah border in North America. The white box shows the location of the new high resolution view of the "city" landforms. The image is a red wide angle context frame obtained by MOC at the same time that the high resolution view was acquired. The picture is illuminated from the lower left, and north is toward the upper right.The picture in the center is a processed version of the new MOC narrow angle camera image of this portion of Cydonia. You can view the full-size image (MOC2-142b 100% Size). Like the context image (above left), the high resolution view (center) is illuminated from the lower left. North is toward the upper right. Boulders can be seen on some of the hill slopes, and the plains between the hills are rough and pitted. To conserve data in order to account for downtrack position uncertainties, only 1/2 of the MOC sensor was used to acquire this picture (allowing the image to be twice the length): it covers an area that is 1.5 km (0.9 mi) wide.The picture at the above right is the unprocessed MOC image. This what the processed image (center) looked like before it was rotated 180° (so that north is toward the top) and corrected for a 1.5 aspect ratio. The pixel size in the unprocessed image is different in the cross-track (left-right) and down-track (top-bottom) directions, thus making the craters look "squished." The cross-track scale is about 1.5 meters (5 feet) per pixel, while the down-track scale is about 2.25 meters (7.4 feet) per pixel. In the unprocessed image, the illumination is coming from the upper right. You can view this image at full-size (use "Save this link as..." and examine (MOC2-142c 100% Size) or see it via your web-browser at half-size (MOC2-142c 50% Size).For a pre-MGS discussion of Viking orbiter images of the "Face on Mars," CLICK HERE.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. | |
The linear features in this image are called graben and are formed when two parallel faults have a downdropped block of material between them. These graben are located between Syria Planum and Claritas Rupes as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey. | Context image for PIA02297GrabenThe linear features in this image are called graben and are formed when two parallel faults have a downdropped block of material between them. These graben are located between Syria Planum and Claritas Rupes.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -23.0N, Longitude 259.1E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows two linear depressions which are part of the Nili Fossae fracture system. | Context imageThe two linear depressions in this VIS image are part of the Nili Fossae fracture system. Nili Fossae is the name of a collection of curved faults and down-dropped blocks of crust between the faults (called graben). The grabens lie northeast of the large volcano Syrtis Major and northwest of the ancient impact basin Isidis. The grabens make concentric curves that follow the outline of Isidis Planitia. The faults likely formed as the crust sagged under the weight of lava flows filling Isidis.Orbit Number: 77813 Latitude: 22.0638 Longitude: 78.198 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-06-30 10:29Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Curiosity rover just after discarding a soil sample as part of its first 'decontamination' exercise. A small amount of remnant material is visible inside the delivery tube, which is magnified in the blow-up at lower right. | This image from Curiosity's Mast Camera shows NASA's Curiosity rover just after discarding a soil sample as part of its first "decontamination" exercise. A small amount of remnant material is visible inside the delivery tube, which is magnified in the blow-up at lower right. The Collection and Handling for In-Situ Martian Rock Analysis (CHIMRA) tool on the end of the rover's arm had just finished shaking some scooped-up soil thoroughly inside the sample-processing chambers to scrub the internal surfaces, putting it through a sieve and dividing it into the appropriate portions. When the decontamination process has been performed three times and actual sample distribution is ready to occur, the samples will be delivered to the Chemistry and Mineralogy and the Sample Analysis at Mars instruments.The amount being discarded here was about the volume of half a baby aspirin. The rinse-and-discard cycles serve a quality-assurance purpose similar to a common practice in geochemical laboratory analysis on Earth.This image was taken by Curiosity's right Mast Camera (Mastcam-100) on Oct. 10, 2012, the 64th sol, or Martian day, of operations. Scientists white-balanced the color in this view to show the Martian scene as it would appear under the lighting conditions we have on Earth.JPL manages the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.For more about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl, http://www.nasa.gov/mars, and http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
The left portion of this image, taken by the Imager for NASAs Mars Pathfinder (IMP) on July 5, 1997, Sol 2, shows a portion of the large rock nicknamed 'Yogi.' | The left portion of this image, taken by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) on Sol 2, shows a portion of the large rock nicknamed "Yogi." Portions of a petal and deflated airbag are in the foreground. The dark circular object at right is a portion of the lander's high-gain antenna.Mars Pathfinder was developed and managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 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 false-color map shows the area within Gale Crater on Mars, where NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Aug. 5, 2012 PDT (Aug. 6, 2012 EDT). The rover is heading toward Glenelg, just to the lower right of Bradbury. | This false-color map shows the area within Gale Crater on Mars, where NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Aug. 5, 2012 PDT (Aug. 6, 2012 EDT). It merges topographic data with thermal inertia data that record the ability of the surface to hold onto heat. Red indicates a surface material that retains its heat longer into the evening, suggesting differences relative to its surroundings. One possibility is that the materials that make up these soils and rocks have been more tightly bound together by mineral cements. The black oval indicates the targeted landing area for the rover, known as the "landing ellipse," and the cross shows where the rover actually touched down at the Bradbury Landing site.An alluvial fan, or fan-shaped deposit where debris spread out downslope, has been highlighted in lighter colors for better viewing. On Earth, alluvial fans often are formed by water flowing downslope. New observations from Curiosity of rounded pebbles embedded with rocky outcrops provide concrete evidence that water did flow in this region on Mars, creating the alluvial fan. Water carrying the pebbly material is thought to have streamed downslope, extending the alluvial fan, at least occasionally, to where the rover now sits, studying its ancient history. The evidence for former water at the Bradbury Landing site may help the science team better understand the nature of the red areas in this map. The rover is heading toward Glenelg, just to the lower right of Bradbury, where three different types of material connect up in a "triple junction." This image was obtained by the Thermal Emission Imaging System on NASA's Odyssey orbiter.JPL manages the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.For more about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl, http://www.nasa.gov/mars, and http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
Santa Anita' Panorama | Click on the image for 'Santa Anita' Panorama (QTVR)This color mosaic taken on May 21, 25 and 26, 2004, by the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit was acquired from a position roughly three-fourths the way between "Bonneville Crater" and the base of the "Columbia Hills." The area is within a low thermal inertia unit (an area that heats up and cools off quickly) identified from orbit by the Mars Odyssey thermal emission imaging system instrument. The rover was roughly 600 meters (1,968 feet) from the base of the hills.This mosaic, referred to as the "Santa Anita Panorama," is comprised of 64 pointings, acquired with six of the panoramic camera's color filters, including one designed specifically to allow comparisons between orbital and surface brightness data. A total of 384 images were acquired as part of this panorama. The mosaic is an approximate true-color rendering constructed from images using the camera's 750-, 530- and and 480-nanometer filters, and is presented at the full resolution of the camera. | |
The sand dunes in this image surround the northwestern half of the central peak of this crater on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA01872Crater DunesThe sand dunes in this image surround the northwestern half of the central peak of this crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 71.8N, Longitude 344.5E. 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. | |
The central portion of this image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft features a mildly-winding depression carved by water. Helas basin was likely formed around four billion years ago by a giant asteroid or comet impact. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThe central portion of this image features a mildly-winding depression that was carved by water, likely around four billion years ago shortly after the Hellas basin formed following a giant asteroid or comet impact.Water would have flowed from the uplands (to the east) and drained into the low-lying basin, carving river channels as it flowed. The gentle curves-called "meanders" by geomorphologists-imply that this paleoriver carried lots of sediment along with it, depositing it into Hellas.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 Perseverance Mars rover used its WATSON camera took take eight images of a rock abraded by a tool on the rover's robotic arm. The images were taken on August 27, 2021. | Figure 1NASA's Perseverance Mars rover used its WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering) camera to take eight images – combined here into the single composite image – of a rock abraded by a tool on the rover's robotic arm. The images were taken on Aug. 27, 2021 (the 185th Martian day, or sol, of the mission). Nicknamed "Bellegarde," the abraded target is 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter. The supplemental image (Figure 1) shows details of the abrasion target with a blue box outlining the location of spectral scans performed by the SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) instrument. This area was scanned by SHERLOC for specific minerals on Aug. 28, 2021 (the mission's 186th sol).A subsystem of SHERLOC, WATSON can document the structure and texture within a drilled or abraded target, and its data can be used to derive depth measurements. The area within the blue box is roughly 6.5 millimeters squared.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory built and manages operations of Perseverance and Ingenuity for the agency. Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages JPL for NASA. WATSON was built by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS) in San Diego and is operated jointly by MSSS and JPL.A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.For more about Perseverance: mars.nasa.gov/mars2020 | |
This daytime infrared image of Kaiser Crater, taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft, shows the majority of the dune field located on the floor of the crater. | Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAToday's VIS image of the dunes on the floor of Kaiser Crater was collected simultaneously with yesterday's IR image.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -46.9N, Longitude 19.5E. 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 image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a small portion of Olympia Undae, the largest of the many dune fields surrounding the north polar cap. | Context imageThis VIS image shows a small portion of Olympia Undae, the largest of the many dune fields surrounding the north polar cap. This image was collected during summer, and the dunes are frost free.Orbit Number: 63349 Latitude: 80.8968 Longitude: 129.99 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-03-25 23:22Please 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 rock outcrop dubbed 'Missoula,' near Marias Pass on Mars, is seen in this image mosaic taken by NASA's Curiosity rover. Pale mudstone (bottom of outcrop) meets coarser sandstone (top) in this geological contact zone. | A rock outcrop dubbed "Missoula," near Marias Pass on Mars, is seen in this image mosaic taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager on NASA's Curiosity rover. Pale mudstone (bottom of outcrop) meets coarser sandstone (top) in this geological contact zone, which has piqued the interest of Mars scientists.White mineral veins that fill fractures in the lower rock unit abruptly end when they meet the upper rock unit. Such clues help scientists understand the possible timing of geological events. First, the fine sediment that now forms the lower unit would have hardened into rock. It then would have fractured, and groundwater would have deposited calcium sulfate minerals into the fractures. Next, the coarser sediment that forms the upper unit would have been deposited.The area pictured is about 16 inches (40 centimeters) across. The image was taken on the 1,031st Martian day, or sol, of the mission (July 1, 2015). MAHLI was built by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows three side-by-side craters increase in size resembling a snowman without eyes. | Context imageDo you see what I see? These three side-by-side craters increase in size toward the bottom of the image. Looks like a snowman, only his eyes are missing.Orbit Number: 44464 Latitude: 27.6878 Longitude: 43.2049 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2011-12-23 10:45 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. | |
Dry Ice Etches Terrain | Figure 1Every year seasonal carbon dioxide ice, known to us as "dry ice," covers the poles of Mars. In the south polar region this ice is translucent, allowing sunlight to pass through and warm the surface below. The ice then sublimes (evaporates) from the bottom of the ice layer, and carves channels in the surface.The channels take on many forms. In the subimage shown here (figure 1) the gas from the dry ice has etched wide shallow channels. This region is relatively flat, which may be the reason these channels have a different morphology than the "spiders" seen in more hummocky terrain. Observation GeometryImage PSP_003364_0945 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 15-Apr-2007. The complete image is centered at -85.4 degrees latitude, 104.0 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 251.5 km (157.2 miles). At this distance the image scale is 25.2 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~75 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel . The image was taken at a local Mars time of 06:57 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 75 degrees, thus the sun was about 15 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 219.6 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Autumn.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows Averuns Colles on Mars. These broken blocks and arcuate fractures mark the transition region between the southern highlands and the northern lowlands of Mars. | Context image for PIA11262Arcuate FracturesCalled Averuns Colles, these broken blocks and arcuate fractures mark the transition region between the southern highlands and the northern lowlands of Mars.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -2.1N, Longitude 173.2E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Rabe Crater. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Rabe Crater.Rabe Crater is 108 km (67 miles) across. Craters of similar size often have flat floors. Rabe Crater has some areas of flat floor, but also has a large complex pit occupying a substantial part of the floor. The interior fill of the crater is thought to be layered sediments created by wind and or water action. The pit is eroded into this material. The eroded materials appear to have stayed within the crater forming a large sand sheet with surface dune forms as well as individual dunes where the crater floor is visible. The movement of the sand is from the lower right towards the upper left. In this combination of filters "blue" typically means basaltic sand.Orbit Number: 67013 Latitude: -43.2572 Longitude: 34.5875 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-01-21 18:25Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Spirit's Surroundings on 'West Spur,' Sol 305 (Vertical) | This 360-degree panorama shows the terrain surrounding NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit as of the rover's 305th martian day, or sol, (Nov. 11, 2004). At that point, Spirit was climbing the "West Spur" of the "Columbia Hills." The rover had just finished inspecting a rock called "Lutefisk" and was heading uphill toward an area called "Machu Picchu." Spirit used its navigational camera to take the images combined into this mosaic. The rover's location when the images were taken is catalogued as the mission's site 89, position 205. The view is presented here as a vetical projection with geometric seam correction. | |
A promontory nicknamed Cape Verde can be seen jutting out from the walls of Victoria Crater in this false-color picture taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on Oct. 20, 2007. | A promontory nicknamed "Cape Verde" can be seen jutting out from the walls of Victoria Crater in this false-color picture taken by the panoramic camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The rover took this picture on martian day, or sol, 1329 (Oct. 20, 2007), more than a month after it began descending down the crater walls -- and just 9 sols shy of its second Martian birthday on sol 1338 (Oct. 29, 2007). Opportunity landed on the Red Planet on Jan. 25, 2004. That's nearly four years ago on Earth, but only two on Mars because Mars takes longer to travel around the sun than Earth. One Martian year equals 687 Earth days.This view was taken using three panoramic-camera filters, admitting light with wavelengths centered at 750 nanometers (near infrared), 530 nanometers (green) and 430 nanometers (violet). | |
This cylindrical-projection mosaic was assembled from images taken by the navigation camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on April 24, 2004 at a region dubbed 'site 35.' Spirit is sitting 100 feet away from the northeast rim of 'Missoula' crater. | This cylindrical-perspective projection was assembled from images taken by the left navigation camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit on sol 110 (April 24, 2004) at a region dubbed "site 35." Spirit is sitting approximately 33 meters (100 feet) away from the northeast rim of "Missoula" crater.See PIA05815 for 3-D view and PIA05817 for right eye view of this left eye cylindrical-perspective projection. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a section of Cerberus Fossae. Cerberus Fossae are located in Elysium Planitia, southeast of the Elysium Mons volcanic complex. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a section of Cerberus Fossae. Cerberus Fossae are located in Elysium Planitia, southeast of the Elysium Mons volcanic complex. The linear features in the image are tectonic graben. Graben are formed by extension of the crust and faulting. When large amounts of pressure or tension are applied to rocks on timescales that are fast enough that the rock cannot respond by deforming, the rock breaks along faults. In the case of a graben, two parallel faults are formed by extension of the crust and the rock in between the faults drops downward into the space created by the extension. Several sets of graben are visible in this THEMIS image, trending from west-northwest to east-southeast. 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 north-northeast/south-southwest direction. The Cerberus Fossae graben are sources of both channels and significant volcanic flows. Cerberus Fossae cuts across features such as hills, indicating the relative youth of the tectonic activity. The Cerberus Fossae system is 1235km (767 miles) long.Orbit Number: 94232 Latitude: 10.1207 Longitude: 161.626 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2023-03-13 08:52Please 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 scene shows the 'Murray Ridge' portion of the western rim of Endeavour Crater on Mars, as seen by NASA's Opportunity rover. It is presented in false color to make some differences between materials easier to see. | This scene shows the "Murray Ridge" portion of the western rim of Endeavour Crater on Mars, as seen by NASA's Opportunity rover. It is presented in false color to make some differences between materials easier to see.The ridge rises about 130 feet (40 meters) above the surrounding plain, between "Solander Point" at the north end of the ridge and "Cape Tribulation," beyond Murray Ridge to the south. This view does not show the entire ridge. The visible ridge line is about 33 feet (10 meters) above the rover's location when the component images were taken.The scene sweeps from east to south. The planar (flat) rocks in the foreground at the base of the hill are part of a layer of rocks laid down around the margins of the crater rim. At this location, Opportunity is sitting at the intersection between the Meridiani Planum sandstone plains and the rocks of the Endeavour Crater rim. On the upper left, the view is directed about 22 kilometers (14 miles) across the center of Endeavour crater to the eastern rim.Opportunity landed on Mars in January 2004 and has been investigating parts of Endeavour's western rim since August 2012.The scene combines several images taken by the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity during the 3,446th Martian day, or sol, of the mission's work on Mars (Oct. 3, 2013) and the following three sols. On Sol 3451 (Oct. 8, 2013), Opportunity began climbing the ridge. The slope offers outcrops that contain clay minerals detected from orbit and also gives the rover a northward tilt that provides a solar-energy advantage during the Martian southern hemisphere's autumn and winter. The rover team chose to call this feature Murray Ridge in tribute to Bruce Murray (1931-2013), an influential advocate for planetary exploration who was a member of the science teams for NASA's earliest missions to Mars and later served as director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.This view merges exposures taken through three of the Pancam's color filters, centered on wavelengths of 753 nanometers (near-infrared), 535 nanometers (green) and 432 nanometers (violet). | |
This left-eye mosaic was created from images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired May 6, 2004. Continuing its trek toward the 'Columbia Hills,' Spirit broke its record for the longest distance traveled in one Martian day. | This left eye of a stereo pair of views in a cylindrical-perspective projection was created from navigation camera images that NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit acquired on sol 121 (May 6, 2004). Continuing its trek toward the "Columbia Hills," Spirit drove 96.8 meters (318 feet) -- half of which was performed in auto-navigation mode -- and broke its record for the longest distance traveled in one sol. That drive brought the mission total to 1,669 meters (1.04 miles), flipping the rover's odometer over the one-mile mark.See PIA05883 for 3-D view and PIA05885 for right eye view of this left eye cylindrical-perspective projection. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows small, dark dunes in Ruza Crater moving from the crater floor to the crater rim. With the passage of time and continued wind activity the leading dunes will exit the crater completely. | Context image for PIA09299Dunes on the MoveThese small, dark dunes in Ruza Crater are moving from the crater floor to the crater rim. With the passage of time and continued wind activity the leading dunes will exit the crater completely.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -34.1N, Longitude 307.1E. 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 Exploration Rover Opportunity set a one-day distance record for martian driving which began on Feb. 19, 2005. Opportunity rolled across the plain of Meridiani on that sol. This is a vertical projection. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity set a one-day distance record for martian driving on the rover's 383rd martian day, or sol, which began on Feb. 19, 2005. Opportunity rolled 177.5 meters (582 feet) across the plain of Meridiani on that sol. It used its navigation camera after the drive to take the images that are combined into this mosaic view. The view is presented here in a vertical projection with geometric seam correction. | |
The pale rocks in the foreground of this Aug. 14, 2014, image from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover include the 'Bonanza King' target under consideration to become the fourth rock drilled by the rover. | The pale rocks in the foreground of this fisheye image from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover include the "Bonanza King" target under consideration to become the fourth rock drilled by the Mars Science Laboratory mission. No previous mission has collected sample material from the interior of rocks on Mars. Curiosity delivers the drilled rock powder into analytical laboratory instruments inside the rover.Curiosity's front Hazard Avoidance Camera (Hazcam), which has a very wide-angle lens, recorded this view on Aug. 14, 2014, during the 709th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars. The view faces southward, looking down a ramp at the northeastern end of sandy-floored "Hidden Valley." Wheel tracks show where Curiosity drove into the valley, and back out again, earlier in August 2014. The largest of the individual flat rocks in the foreground are a few inches (several centimeters) across. For scale, the rover's left front wheel, visible at left, is 20 inches (0.5 meter) in diameter.A map showing Hidden Valley is at PIA18408. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover and the rover's Navcam.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. | |
This image, part of an images as art series from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on Feb 6, 2004 shows crater ejecta looks quite a bit like a blast, as would be seen in comic books or perhaps on an old episode of Batman. | Released 6 February 2004Humanity is a very visual species. We rely on our eyes to tell us what is going on in the world around us. Put any image in front of a person and that person will examine the picture looking for anything familiar. Even if the examiner has no idea what he/she is looking at in a picture, he/she will still be able to make a statement about the picture, usually preceded by the words "it looks like..." The image above is part of the surface of Mars, but is presented for its artistic value rather than its scientific value. When first viewed, this image solicited a statement that "it looks like..." something seen in everyday life.This crater ejecta looks quite a bit like a blast, as would be seen in comic books or perhaps on an old episode of Batman.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image taken by NASA's Perseverance rover on August 6, 2021, shows that sample collection tube No. 233 is empty. It is one of the pieces of data showing that the rover did not collect any Martian rock during its first attempt to core a sample. | This image taken by NASA's Perseverance rover on August 6, 2021, shows that sample collection tube No. 233 is empty. It is one of the pieces of data sent to Earth by Perseverance showing that the rover did not collect any Martian rock during its first attempt to core a sample. The image was taken by the rover's Sampling and Caching System Camera (known as CacheCam). About the size and shape of a standard lab test tube, these tubes are designed to contain representative samples of Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA's Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.For more about Perseverance: mars.nasa.gov/mars2020 | |
This image of the rock 'Chimp' was taken by NASA's Sojourner rover's right front camera on Sol 72 (September 15). Fine-scale texture on Chimp and other rocks is clearly visible. Sol 1 began on July 4, 1997. | This image of the rock "Chimp" was taken by the Sojourner rover's right front camera on Sol 72 (September 15). Fine-scale texture on Chimp and other rocks is clearly visible. Wind tails, oriented from lower right to upper left, are seen next to small pebbles in the foreground. These were most likely produced by wind action.Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998. | |
A relatively small crater (~35 km across) in the heavily cratered terrain of the southern highlands of Mars is shown in this image taken in November 2003 by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Released 7 November 2003This image shows a relatively small crater (~35 km across) in the heavily cratered terrain of the southern highlands. At the midlatitudes, this area is known both for its water-formed gullies and its sand dunes. This crater shows spectacular examples of both. In fact, the gullies running down the northern edge of the crater made it to the cover of Science magazine on June 30, 2000. The large dark spot in the floor of the crater is sand that has accumulated into one large dune with a single curvilinear crest.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -54.9, Longitude 17.5 East (342.5 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows martian terrain that looks like a giant fish with open mouth. | Context imageDo you see what I see? A giant fish with open mouth looks to the left in the center of this VIS image.Orbit Number: 17786 Latitude: -69.3567 Longitude: 8.55876 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2005-12-17 19:09Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a variety of surface materials in the plains of Sabaea Terra. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows a variety of surface materials in the plains of Sabaea Terra.Orbit Number: 34668 Latitude: -22.6238 Longitude: 43.274 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2009-10-07 20:25Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Spirit's View on Sol 399 (Vertical) | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit used its navigation camera to capture this view during the rover's 399th martian day, or sol, (Feb. 15, 2005). An attempted drive on that sol did not gain any ground toward nearby "Larry's Lookout" because of slippage that churned the soil on the slope. Spirit used its alpha particle X-ray spectrometer to examine the churned soil. This view is presented in a vertical projection with geometric seam correction. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a portion of Kasei Valles. Kasei Valles is one of the largest outflow channel systems on Mars. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a portion of Kasei Valles. Kasei Valles is one of the largest outflow channel systems on Mars, in places up to 482 km (300 miles) wide and 1580 km (982 miles) long. For comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona is is only 29 km (18 miles) at its widest and only 446 km (277 miles) long. Kasei Valles flows eastward through Lunae Planum and empties into Chryse Planitia.Orbit Number: 93928 Latitude: 25.9137 Longitude: 289.462 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2023-02-16 08:13Please 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, including some of the sand dunes found there. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of the floor of Kaiser Crater, including some of the sand dunes found there. In this false color combination dark blue often indicates basaltic sands.Orbit Number: 66814 Latitude: -46.2976 Longitude: 19.611 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-01-05 08:55Please 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. | |
Dragging Its Foot | This composite image shows a bird's-eye view of the crater occupied by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity at Meridiani Planum, Mars. A portion of the lander can be seen to the bottom left of the image's circular center. Bounce marks can be seen below and to the top left of the center. The rock outcrop containing many of the rover's rock targets runs from the top right of the image to the left of the image. The rover, which cannot be seen in the image, is located in the southwest quadrant, just left of the lander. Data depicting the inside of the crater wall is from the rover's panoramic camera. Data depicting the outside of the crater wall is from the camera on the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor. The top of the image faces north, and the image area measures approximately 22 meters (72 feet) wide. Figure 1 (Click on image for larger view)Opportunity Traverse Map This composite image (Figure 1) maps the areas traveled by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity at Meridiani Planum, Mars. Dotted lines represent areas the rover has already traveled. Solid lines represent areas still on the rover's travel agenda. Data depicting the inside of the crater wall is from the rover's panoramic camera. Data depicting the outside of the crater wall is from the camera on the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor. The top of the image faces north, and the image area measures approximately 22 meters (72 feet) wide. Figure 2 (Click on image for larger view)Opportunity Future Traverse Map This composite image maps a future travel itinerary for the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity at Meridiani Planum, Mars. The rover is currently located at the trench site toward the bottom left of the image. It has already been to the location named "Stone Mountain." Controllers plan to investigate the other labeled areas on the rock outcrop. Data depicting the inside of the crater wall is from the rover's panoramic camera. Data depicting the outside of the crater wall is from the camera on the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor. The top of the image faces north, and the image area measures approximately 22 meters (72 feet) wide. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity took the images that make up this mosaic with its microscopic imager on June 14, 2004. The target is a rock called 'Tennessee,' which was drilled into by the rover's rock abrasion tool. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity took the images that make up this mosaic with its microscopic imager on sol 139 (June 14, 2004). The target is a rock called "Tennessee," which was drilled into by the rover's rock abrasion tool. This particular grind is the deepest performed so far during the mission. The hole is 8.12 millimeters (0.32 inches) deep and took two hours and four minutes to create. The previous record was a 7.23-millimeter-deep (0.28-inch-deep) hole dug on sol 86 (April 21, 2004) on the feature dubbed "Pilbara," located in Meridiani's "Fram Crater." | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Maja Valles, a large channel system in Lunae Planum. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of Maja Valles, a large channel system in Lunae Planum. Maja Valles in 1600 km (1000 miles) long. Like most outflow channels in the region, Maja Valles arises from the Valles Marineris region and drains into Chryse Planitia. Maja Valles starts in Juventae Chasma.Orbit Number: 85617 Latitude: 4.08955 Longitude: 299.934 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-04-03 00:18Please 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. | |
Engineers measure their test lander's 'workspace' -- the terrain where scientists want to set InSight's instruments -- at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. | Engineers Marleen Sundgaard (left) and Pranay Mishra measure their test lander's "workspace" -- the terrain where scientists want to set InSight's instruments -- at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Making sure each feature of the workspace on Mars is mimicked here on Earth allows for more reliable tests to be performed before actually setting down InSight's instruments.JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages InSight for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. InSight is part of NASA's Discovery Program, managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The InSight spacecraft was built and tested by Lockheed Martin Space in Denver, Colorado.For more information about the mission, go to https://mars.nasa.gov/insight. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows frost-covered sand dunes in Chasma Boreale in the early northern spring season on Mars. Dark spots, some of them with bright halos of re-precipitated frost, have formed as the dunes begin to defrost. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-390, 13 June 2003This is a Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) view of frost-covered sand dunes in Chasma Boreale in the early northern spring season. Dark spots, some of them with bright halos of re-precipitated frost, have formed as the dunes begin to defrost. Most of the frost is carbon dioxide which freezes out of the atmosphere during the cold martian polar winters. This picture is located near 84.7°N, 358.8°W, and is illuminated from the lower left. | |
The cliff face in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is called Rupes Tenius (rupes = scarp). The polar cap is the higher region to the left and the plains are located on the right side of the image. | Context imageThe cliff face in this VIS image is called Rupes Tenius (rupes = scarp). The polar cap is the higher region to the left and the plains are located on the right side of the image. A large elevation change occurs along the scarp.Orbit Number: 54801 Latitude: 81.1375 Longitude: 246.776 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-04-22 03:02Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-546, 16 November 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture shows an active dust devil in Sinus Sabaeus, southeast of Schiaparelli Basin. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left (northwest). The dust devil is best recognized by the dark, columnar shadow it casts toward the lower right (southeast). This image is located near 5.4°S, 340.0°W. The area shown is about 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the floor of an unnamed crater in Aonia Terra has been filled with multiple layers of material. | Context image for PIA09422Layered FillThe floor of this unnamed crater in Aonia Terra has been filled with multiple layers of material.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -50.3N, Longitude 298.8E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This partial panoramic image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the lander in the center of the crater at Meridiani Planum, Mars. In view are plains outside the crater, the rover tracks, and the airbag bounce marks behind the lander. | This partial panoramic image from the navigation camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the lander in the center of the crater at Meridiani Planum, Mars. The image, taken on sol 34 of Opportunity's journey, was not completely downlinked as of sol 35 of the rover's mission. Note the view of the plains outside the crater, the rover tracks in the center and right of the image, and the airbag bounce marks behind the lander. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Terra Sirenum. | 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 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: 92940 Latitude: -36.9577 Longitude: 185.11 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-11-26 22:52Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows layers exposed in the walls of a crater-like form in the south polar region of Mars. | 28 March 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows layers exposed in the walls of a crater-like form (only partially seen here) in the south polar region. These layers record some of the history of the martian south pole, although deciphering this record will require human or robotic explorers to get a closer view. The layered outcrop is located near 84.6°S, 359.6°W. The image covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
This image captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) shows a moderate sized dune field that displays most of these morphologic features and a noticeable absence of dune crests. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionSand dune populations on Mars can vary widely with respect to morphology, relief, and activity. One of the most striking examples occurs with the many dune fields of the high Southern latitudes.When we venture south of -60 degrees latitude, we see increasing signs of dune degradation, with subdued dune brinks and broad sandy aprons, rather than sharp, dune crests and distinct boundaries (see PIA21571). Dunes this far south are also very modest in height, often consisting solely of flat sand sheets. Additionally, global monitoring campaigns are revealing a noticeable lack of changes in these bedform positions, whereas many dunes and ripples to the north are migrating across the surface (see PIA12289).This image shows a moderate sized dune field (-72 degrees latitude) that displays most of these morphologic features and a noticeable absence of dune crests. This transition is likely related to polar processes, ground ice, and changes in regional climate relative to the rest of the planet.The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 49.6 centimeters (19.5 inches) per pixel (with 2 x 2 binning); objects on the order of 149 centimeters (58.6 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. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows an unnamed crater on Mars containing a small landslide, and four small dunes due west of the landslide. | Context image for PIA11307Small FeaturesAnalysis of Mars images means looking at all the features, from the largest of craters to the smallest visible features. This unnamed crater contains a small landslide, and four small dunes due west of the landslide.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -6.7N, Longitude 93.6E. 18 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This color image shows NASA's Mars Pathfinder (MPF) Sojourner rover's Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) deployed against the rock 'Moe' on the morning of Sol 65. This image was taken by NASA's Mars Pathfinder (MPF). | This color image shows the Sojourner rover's Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) deployed against the rock "Moe" on the morning of Sol 65. The rock behind the rover is "Half Dome," which was previously measured by the APXS.Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The 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 image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows several craters in Terra Cimmeria. | 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 several craters in Terra Cimmeria.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: 83681 Latitude: -31.6763 Longitude: 180.725 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-10-25 13:48Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The channel descending a Martian slope in this perspective view is 'Perseverance Valley,' the study area of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity as the rover passes its 5,000th sol, or Martian day, of its mission on the surface of Mars. | Figure 1Click on the image for larger versionThe channel descending a Martian slope in this perspective view is "Perseverance Valley," which is the study area of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity as the rover passes its 5,000th sol, or Martian day, of its mission on the surface of Mars.The view was produced by overlaying an image take from orbit onto a topographic model with five-fold vertical exaggeration to emphasize the shapes on the rim of a large crater that have been cut by the valley on the inboard slope of the rim. The image used is from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, observation ESP_036753_1775. The crest of a portion of the western rim of Endeavour Crater is at the top of the view, and the floor of the crater is in the foreground, below an erosion-resistant bench perched beneath the valley. The crater is about 14 miles (22 kilometers) in diameter. This perspective view is from within the crater, looking westward. It spans an area about a quarter mile (400 meters) wide from left to right (south to north). The interior rim slopes about 15 to 20 degrees. Figure 1 is an annotated version indicating Perseverance Valley and the bench, plus Opportunity's locations on Sol 5,000 (Feb. 16, 2018) and on Sol 4,958 (Jan. 4, 2018). On Sol 4958, the rover took images with its Navigation Camera and its Hazard Avoidance Camera showing textures of possible stone stripes. The graphic was created at Washington University in St. Louis.A map of a slightly larger portion of the crater rim shows the location of Perseverance Valley and Opportunity's 2017 approach path. As of its Sol 5,000, Opportunity has driven 28 miles (45 kilometers) since its January 2004 landing, in what was planned as a 90-sol mission.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Exploration Rover Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.For more information about Opportunity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rovers and http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov. | |
This version of a self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover at a drilling site called 'Buckskin' on lower Mount Sharp is presented as a stereographic projection, which shows the horizon as a circle. | This version of a self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover at a drilling site called "Buckskin" on lower Mount Sharp is presented as a stereographic projection, which shows the horizon as a circle. It is a mosaic assembled from the same set of 92 component raw images used for the flatter-horizon version at PIA19807. The component images were taken by Curiosity's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on Aug. 5, 2015, during the 1,065th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars. Curiosity drilled the hole at Buckskin during Sol 1060 (July 30, 2015). Two patches of pale, powdered rock material pulled from inside Buckskin are visible in this scene, in front of the rover. The patch closer to the rover is where the sample-handling mechanism on Curiosity's robotic arm dumped collected material that did not pass through a sieve in the mechanism. Sieved sample material was delivered to laboratory instruments inside the rover. The patch farther in front of the rover, roughly triangular in shape, shows where fresh tailings spread downhill from the drilling process. The drilled hole, 0.63 inch (1.6 centimeters) in diameter, is at the upper point of the tailings.The rover is facing northeast, looking out over the plains from the crest of a 20-foot (6-meter) hill that it climbed to reach the "Marias Pass" area. The upper levels of Mount Sharp are visible behind the rover, while Gale Crater's northern rim dominates most of the rest of the horizon.the horizon on the left and right of the mosaic.MAHLI is mounted at the end of the rover's robotic arm. For this self-portrait, the rover team positioned the camera lower in relation to the rover body than for any previous full self-portrait of Curiosity. The assembled mosaic does not include the rover's arm beyond a portion of the upper arm held nearly vertical from the shoulder joint. Shadows from the rest of the arm and the turret of tools at the end of the arm are visible on the ground. With the wrist motions and turret rotations used in pointing the camera for the component images, the arm was positioned out of the shot in the frames or portions of frames used in this mosaic. MAHLI was built by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the project's Curiosity rover.More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/.Photojournal Note: Also available is the full resolution TIFF file PIA19806_full.tif. This file may be too large to view from a browser; it can be downloaded onto your desktop by right-clicking on the previous link and viewed with image viewing software. | |
On May 19th, 2005, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit captured this stunning view as the Sun sank below the rim of Gusev crater on Mars. This Panoramic Camera (Pancam) mosaic was taken around 6:07 in the evening of the rover's 489th martian day. | On May 19th, 2005, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit captured this stunning view as the Sun sank below the rim of Gusev crater on Mars. This Panoramic Camera (Pancam) mosaic was taken around 6:07 in the evening of the rover's 489th martian day, or sol. Spirit was commanded to stay awake briefly after sending that sol's data to the Mars Odyssey orbiter just before sunset. This small panorama of the western sky was obtained using Pancam's 750-nanometer, 530-nanometer and 430-nanometer color filters. This filter combination allows false color images to be generated that are similar to what a human would see, but with the colors slightly exaggerated. In this image, the bluish glow in the sky above the Sun would be visible to us if we were there, but an artifact of the Pancam's infrared imaging capabilities is that with this filter combination the redness of the sky farther from the sunset is exaggerated compared to the daytime colors of the martian sky. Because Mars is farther from the Sun than the Earth is, the Sun appears only about two-thirds the size that it appears in a sunset seen from the Earth. The terrain in the foreground is the rock outcrop "Jibsheet," a feature that Spirit has been investigating for several weeks (rover tracks are dimly visible leading up to "Jibsheet"). The floor of Gusev crater is visible in the distance, and the Sun is setting behind the wall of Gusev some 80 km (50 miles) in the distance.This mosaic is yet another example from MER of a beautiful, sublime martian scene that also captures some important scientific information. Specifically, sunset and twilight images are occasionally acquired by the science team to determine how high into the atmosphere the martian dust extends, and to look for dust or ice clouds. Other images have shown that the twilight glow remains visible, but increasingly fainter, for up to two hours before sunrise or after sunset. The long martian twilight (compared to Earth's) is caused by sunlight scattered around to the night side of the planet by abundant high altitude dust. Similar long twilights or extra-colorful sunrises and sunsets sometimes occur on Earth when tiny dust grains that are erupted from powerful volcanoes scatter light high in the atmosphere. | |
This image, part of an images as art series from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on Feb 26, 2004 shows dunes on Mars resembling large microscopic organisms, or perhaps, loofah pads. | Released 26 February 2004Humanity is a very visual species. We rely on our eyes to tell us what is going on in the world around us. Put any image in front of a person and that person will examine the picture looking for anything familiar. Even if the examiner has no idea what he/she is looking at in a picture, he/she will still be able to make a statement about the picture, usually preceded by the words "it looks like..." The image above is part of the surface of Mars, but is presented for its artistic value rather than its scientific value. When first viewed, this image solicited a statement that "it looks like..." something seen in everyday life.Loofah pads, perhaps, or maybe some really, really large microscopic organisms? (They'd have to be large at 19m per pixel.)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 scientists have several important hypotheses about how these minerals may reflect changes in the amount of water on the surface of Mars. The Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, will use its full suite of instruments to study these minerals. | This oblique view of the lower mound in Gale crater shows layers of rock that preserve a record of environments on Mars. Here, orbiting instruments have detected signatures of both clay minerals and sulfate salts, with more clay minerals apparent in the foreground of this image and fewer in higher layers. This change in mineralogy may reflect a change in the ancient environment in Gale Crater. Mars scientists have several important hypotheses about how these minerals may reflect changes in the amount of water on the surface of Mars. The Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, will use its full suite of instruments to study these minerals to provide insights into these ancient Martian environments. These rocks are also a prime target in the search for organic molecules since these past environments may have been habitable -- able to support microbial life. Scientists will study how organic molecules, if present, vary with mineralogical variations in the layers to understand how they formed and what influences their preservation. The smaller hills in this view may provide clues to the modern water cycle on Mars. They contain sulfate salts that have water in them, and as temperatures warm into summer, some of that water may be released to the atmosphere. As temperatures cool, they may absorb water from the atmosphere. The Mars Science Laboratory team will investigate how water is exchanged between these minerals and the atmosphere, helping us understand Mars' modern climate. The hills are particularly useful for this investigation because different parts of the hills are exposed to different amounts of sunlight and thus to different temperatures. Curiosity will be able to compare the water in these contrasting areas as part of its investigations.This three-dimensional perspective view was created using visible-light imaging by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the High Resolution Stereo Camera on the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter. Three-dimensional information was derived by stereo analysis of image pairs. The vertical dimension is not exaggerated. Color information is derived from color imaging of portions of the scene by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. The Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft is being prepared for launch during the period Nov. 25 to Dec. 18, 2011. In a prime mission lasting one Martian year -- nearly two Earth years -- after landing, researchers will use the rover's tools to study whether the landing region has had environmental conditions favorable for supporting microbial life and for preserving clues about whether life existed.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter projects for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the High Resolution Science Imaging Experiment. The European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, operates the European Space Agency's Mars Express mission. The High Resolution Stereo Camera was developed by a group with leadership at the Freie Universitat Berlin. | |
These sand dunes are located on the floor of Kaiser Crater on Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA02351Sand DunesThese sand dunes are located on the floor of Kaiser Crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -46.7N, Longitude 19.8E. 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 | 8 February 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a summertime scene in the south polar region of the red planet. A patch of bright frost--possibly water ice--is seen in the lower third of the image. Polygon patterns that have developed in the ice as it sublimes away can be seen; these are not evident in the defrosted surfaces, so they are thought to have formed in the frost. This image is located near 82.6°S, 352.5°W. Sunlight illuminates this scene from the upper left; the image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's first breathtaking views of the martian landscape after its successful landing at Meridiani Planum on Mars. | This image shows one of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's first views of the martian soil after its successful landing at Meridiani Planum on Mars. Opportunity landed Saturday night at approximately 9:05 PST. The image was taken by the rover's panoramic camera. | |
The THEMIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the plains of Thaumasia Planum. | Context image The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of the plains of Thaumasia Planum.Orbit Number: 51398 Latitude: -28.1811 Longitude: 289.673 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-07-16 01:24Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This scene combines five frames taken by the navigation camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit during the 1,871st Martian day, or sol, of Spirit's mission on Mars (April 8, 2009). It spans 180 degrees, with east on the left, south at the center | This scene combines five frames taken by the navigation camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit during the 1,871st Martian day, or sol, of Spirit's mission on Mars (April 8, 2009). It spans 180 degrees, with east on the left, south at the center and west on the right.This view is from the position Spirit reached with a drive of 7 meters (23 feet) southeastward earlier on Sol 1871. The drive brought Spirit to within about 2 meters (7 feet) of the location, subsequently dubbed "Troy," where it would begin to become embedded after its next drive. Other issues, including an amnesia-like event and unexplained computer resets, resulted in no driving attempts after Sol 1871 until Sol 1886 (April 23, 2009).The western edge of the low plateau called "Home Plate" appears on the left side of this view. A ridge informally named "Tsiolkovsky" is on the right. Behind the saddle between Home Plate and Tsiolkovsky is a mound capped with light-toned rock and called "Von Braun," a possible destination for Spirit to investigate in the future. Spirit was driving toward Von Braun when the rover became embedded in soft soil at a site called "Troy" by Sol 1899 (May 6, 2009). The soft soil at Troy was covered with a darker layer before Spirit's wheels broke through that top layer and revealed lighter material. This view is presented as a cylindrical projection with geometric seam correction. | |
This image indicates the location of several prominent geologic features visible in a mosaic composed of 84 pictures taken by the Mastcam-Z imager aboard NASA's Perseverance rover. | Figure 1This mosaic features a rover-eye view of the "South Séítah" geologic unit of Jezero Crater. Composed of 84 enhanced-color images that were later stitched together, the mosaic was taken on Sept. 12, 2021 (the 201st Martian day, or sol, of the mission), by the Mastcam-Z imager as the rover was parked on an elevated overlook just outside its entry point into South Séítah.An annotated version of this image (Figure 1) indicates the location of several prominent geologic features. At the top left and running about a third of the way to the center of the image is a portion of the delta front, a river delta that billions of years ago fed the lake at Jezero Crater. Below and to the right of that is a ridge nicknamed "Faillefeu" (after a medieval abbey in the French Alps). Farther to the right, at the top of the image is the distant peak called "Santa Cruz." While not a planned destination of the rover, Santa Cruz is geologically interesting since it has mineral signatures – seen both from orbit and by the rover (from its landing site) – consistent with alteration minerals, primarily clays.Near the top at the far right is a portion of the route Perseverance took to get to this location. At the time, Perseverance was traveling south, skirting the outside of the Séítah geologic unit. To the right (and out of frame), Perseverance would take a hard right and head northwest along a ridgeline just outside of Séítah. The Mastcam-Z investigation is led and operated by Arizona State University in Tempe, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, California, on the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of the cameras, and in collaboration with the Neils Bohr Institute of the University of Copenhagen on the design, fabrication, and testing of the calibration targets.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 information about Perseverance:mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/nasa.gov/perseverance | |
This daytime 2001 Mars Odyssey image of Promethei Terra shows bright dune sheets on the floor of two unnamed craters on Mars. | Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAThis daytime IR image of Promethei Terra shows bright dune sheets on the floor of two unnamed craters.Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -64.6N, Longitude 120.5E. 111 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a portion of a large landslide deposit on the floor of western Tithonium Chasma on Mars. | 12 February 2006This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a portion of a large landslide deposit on the floor of western Tithonium Chasma.Location near: 4.3°S, 87.9°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Southern Summer | |
This image shows the temperature of the martian surface measured by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer instrument. On September 15, 3 hours and 48 minutes after the spacecrafts third close approach to the planet. | This image shows the temperature of the martian surface measured by the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) instrument. On September 15, 3 hours and 48 minutes after the spacecrafts third close approach to the planet, the TES instrument was commanded to point at Mars and measure the temperature of the surface during a four minute scan. At this time MGS was approximately 15,000 miles (~24,000 km) from the planet, with a view looking up from beneath the planet at the south polar region. The circular blue region (- 198 F) is the south polar cap of Mars that is composed of CO2 ice. The night side of the planet, shown with crosses, is generally cool (green). The sunlit side of the planet reaches temperatures near 15 F (yellow). Each square represents an individual observation acquired in 2 seconds with a ground resolution of ~125 miles (~200 km). The TES instrument will remain on and collect similar images every 100 minutes to monitor the temperature of the surface and atmosphere throughout the aerobraking phase of the MGS mission. | |
The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This false color image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows an unnamed crater in Isidis Planitia. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows an unnamed crater in Isidis Planitia.Orbit Number: 5914 Latitude: 12.5231 Longitude: 83.7448 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2003-04-15 10:45Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows individual dunes on the floor of Russell Crater. These dunes are in the southern part of the dune field. | Context image This image shows individual dunes on the floor of Russell Crater. These dunes are in the southern part of the dune field. Russell Crater is located in Noachis Terra. A spectacular dune ridge and other dune forms on the crater floor have caused extensive imaging.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: 6741 Latitude: -54.9756 Longitude: 12.2917 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2003-06-22 10:58Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This scene from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity looks upward at 'Knudsen Ridge' on the southern edge of 'Marathon Valley' from inside the valley. | This scene from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity looks upward at "Knudsen Ridge" on the southern edge of "Marathon Valley" from inside the valley.The view combines multiple images taken with the panoramic camera (Pancam) on Opportunity's mast on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30, 2015, during the 4,182nd and 4,183rd Martian days, or sols, of the rover's work on Mars. By February 2016, the rover ascended slopes of about 30 degrees onto the flank of Knudsen Ridge, headed for targets of "red zone" material to examine there. This version of the scene is presented in approximately true color. An enhanced-color version, which makes the red zone material easier to distinguish, is at PIA20319. A stereo version is at PIA20320.The informal name Knudsen Ridge was chosen by the Opportunity science team to honor the memory of Danish astrophysicist and planetary scientist Jens Martin Knudsen (1930-2005), a founding member of the team.Color in the scene comes from component images taken through three of the Pancam's color filters, centered on wavelengths of 753 nanometers (near-infrared), 535 nanometers (green) and 432 nanometers (violet). The view spans from southeast on the left to southwest on the right. Marathon Valley cuts generally east-west through the western rim of Endeavour Crater. The valley's name refers to the distance Opportunity drove from its 2004 landing site to arrival at this location in 2014. The valley was a high-priority destination for the rover mission because observations from orbit detected clay minerals there. For more about Opportunity's mission, see http://mars.nasa.gov/mer. | |
NASA's Opportunity used newly developed and uploaded software called AEGIS, to analyze images to identify features that best matched criteria for selecting an observation target; the criteria in this image -- rocks that are larger and darker than others. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity took this image in preparation for the first autonomous selection of an observation target by a spacecraft on Mars.Opportunity used its navigation camera to take this image after a drive during the 2,172nd Martian day, or sol, of its mission on Mars (March 4, 2010). Using newly developed and uploaded software named Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science, or AEGIS, the rover analyzed the image to identify the feature that best matched criteria given for selecting a target. The top target that Opportunity selected with AEGIS is shown by the yellow marker. AEGIS was directed to look for rocks that were larger and darker in color. The rover then used the software to take more detailed observations of the selected target using its panoramic camera (see PIA12974).The more-than-50 rocks in this image are near a young crater called "Concepcion" and might have been thrown outward by the impact that excavated the crater. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the northwestern upper flank of Ascraeus Mons. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows part of the northwestern upper flank of Ascraeus Mons. Lava flows and collapse features cover the flank of the volcano. Ascraeus Mons is the northernmost of the three large Tharsis volcanoes and is the tallest at 18km (11 miles) high. For comparison Mauna Kea – the tallest volcano on Earth – is 10 km tall (6.2 miles, measured from the base below sea level).Orbit Number: 88002 Latitude: 12.7202 Longitude: 254.248 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-10-16 09:24Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a section of a graben that is part of Nili Fossae. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a section of a graben that is part of Nili Fossae. Graben are formed when a block of material drops downward between paired tectonic faults. Graben usually have straight sides with little sinuosity, whereas fluvial channels typically have large amounts of sinuosity along the length of the depression. Nili Fossae is located northeast of the large volcano Syrtis Major and northwest of the ancient impact basin Isidis Planitia. The graben, which can be about 500 meters (1,600 feet) deep, make concentric curves that follow the outline of Isidis Planitia. The faults likely formed as the crust sagged under the weight of lava flows filling Isidis Planitia.Orbit Number: 79198 Latitude: 23.3881 Longitude: 78.7422 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-10-22 11:40Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This is an oblique view of the crater complex near Ascraeus Lacus in the Tharsis region of Mars was taken by NASA's Mariner 9 in 1971. The spot consists of several intersecting shallow crater-like depressions. | Oblique view of the crater complex near Ascraeus Lacus in the Tharsis region of Mars was taken by Mariner 9. It is the northernmost of the prominent dark spots observed by Mariner during its approach to the planet. The spot consists of several intersecting shallow crater-like depressions. The main crater is approximately 21 kilometers (13 miles) across, the whole complex about 40 kilometers (25 miles) across. The crater probably is in a relatively high area of the Martian surface, which accounts for its being visible above the dust storm. The faint circular features outside the crater are probably atmospheric.Mariner 9 was the first spacecraft to orbit another planet. The spacecraft was designed to continue the atmospheric studies begun by Mariners 6 and 7, and to map over 70% of the Martian surface from the lowest altitude (1500 kilometers [900 miles]) and at the highest resolutions (1 kilometer per pixel to 100 meters per pixel) of any previous Mars mission.Mariner 9 was launched on May 30, 1971 and arrived on November 14, 1971. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a tongue of debris at the base of the wall of a large crater in Terra Tyrrhena on Mars. The tongue is the combined product of landsliding and emplacement of crater ejecta. | 23 March 2006This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a tongue of debris at the base of the wall of a large crater in Terra Tyrrhena. The tongue is the combined product of landsliding and emplacement of crater ejecta-a ~3 km (1.9 mi) wide impact crater formed on the rim of the larger crater and, when it did, it caused the movement which created the tongue. About one third of the crater that caused this can be seen near the southwest (lower left) corner of the image.Location near: 21.1°S, 270.0°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Summer | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a beautiful dune field located on the floor of Russell Crater in the Noachis region of Mars. | Context image for PIA10299Russell Crater DunesThis beautiful dune field is located on the floor of Russell Crater in the Noachis region of Mars.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -54.0N, Longitude 12.9E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on April 26, 2004 shows a bend in the river in Tiu Vallis on Mars. | Released 26 April 2004We began MSIP with 122 students divided into 24 teams. Each team created a proposal and, through the peer review process, seven proposals were selected. Two teams were formed to actually select a site. The Tiu Vallis site was selected by the "Water" group. In the context image there appeared to be several features that would result in deposition. The first was a "bend in the river." There also was a structure that looked like a confluence of two streams that would result in deposition. The actual THEMIS image is dominated by a channel. There also is a confluence at the bottom of the image. The channel contains three lobate flow deposits. One team went on to investigate the flows to see if they could determine their relative age.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 14.8, Longitude 326.8 East (3.9 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.NASA and Arizona State University's Mars Education Program is offering students nationwide the opportunity to be involved in authentic Mars research by participating in the Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP). Teams of students in grades 5 through college sophomore level have the opportunity to work with scientists, mission planners and educators on the THEMIS team at ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility, to image a site on Mars using the THEMIS visible wavelength camera. For more information go to the MSIP website: http://msip.asu.edu.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a small portion of the immense lava flows that originated from Arsia Mons. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a small portion of the immense lava flows that originated from Arsia Mons. Arsia Mons is the southernmost of the three large aligned volcanoes in the Tharsis region. Arsia Mons' last eruption was 10s of million years ago. The different surface textures are created by differences in the lava viscosity and cooling rates. The lobate margins of each flow can be traced back to the start of each flow — or to the point where they are covered by younger flows. Flows in Daedalia Planum can be as long as 180 km.Orbit Number: 81539 Latitude: -20.6524 Longitude: 228.51 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-05-02 05:36Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
One of NASA's Sojourner's two front cameras took this image of the Sagan Memorial Station on Sol 6. The lander and its deployed rear ramp are at upper left, while several large rocks appear at center. | One of Sojourner's two front cameras took this image of the Sagan Memorial Station on Sol 6. The lander and its deployed rear ramp are at upper left, while several large rocks appear at center. Sojourner was near the large rock Yogi when this image was taken.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 image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows two small craters (called 'tangential craters'), just touching on their rims, in the much larger Ptolmaeus Crater, which is located in the Martian Southern hemisphere. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionThis image shows two small craters, just touching on their rims, in the much larger Ptolmaeus Crater, which is located in the Martian Southern hemisphere. These craters are called "tangential craters."The more degraded and filled-in crater is approximately 3 kilometers in diameter, and there is an unusual feature near the center. A closeup shows the feature is approximately 76 meters wide and 164 meters long. This feature is also possibly a substantially oblique impact crater, but its origin remains unknown.The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows channels located on the eastern and northern margins of Terra Sabaea on Mars. Dunes are located on the floor of the channel. | Context image for PIA11273More Terra SabaeaHere is another example of the channels located on the eastern and northern margins of Terra Sabaea. Dunes are located on the floor of the channel.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 32.6N, Longitude 61.4E. 19 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This mosaic of images from NASA's Curiosity shows geological members of the Yellowknife Bay formation, and the sites where Curiosity drilled into the lowest-lying member, called Sheepbed, at targets 'John Klein' and 'Cumberland'. | Annotated VersionClick on the image for larger versionThis mosaic of images from Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) shows geological members of the Yellowknife Bay formation, and the sites where Curiosity drilled into the lowest-lying member, called Sheepbed, at targets "John Klein" and "Cumberland." The scene has the Sheepbed mudstone in the foreground and rises up through Gillespie Lake member to the Point Lake outcrop. These rocks record superimposed ancient lake and stream deposits that offered past environmental conditions favorable for microbial life. Rocks here were exposed about 70 million years ago by removal of overlying layers due to erosion by the wind. The 50-centimeter scale bars at different locations in the image are about 20 inches long. The lower scale bar is about 26 feet (8 meters) away from where Curiosity was positioned when the view was recorded. The upper scale bar is about 98 feet (30 meters) from the rover's location. The scene is a portion of a 111-image mosaic acquired during the 137th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (Dec. 24, 2012). The foothills of Mount Sharp are visible in the distance, upper left, southwest of camera position.Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates Mastcam. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Mars Science Laboratory mission and the mission's Curiosity rover for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.For more about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl, http://www.nasa.gov/mars, and http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows lava flows near Arsia Mons. | Context imageThis VIS image shows lava flows near Arsia Mons.Orbit Number: 56463 Latitude: -15.7627 Longitude: 234.484 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-09-05 21:55Please 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. |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.