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This microscopic imager mosaic of the rock called 'Diamond Jenness' was snapped on sol 177, 2004, before NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity ground into the surface with its rock abrasion tool, or 'Rat.' | This microscopic imager mosaic of the rock called "Diamond Jenness" was snapped on sol 177 before NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity ground into the surface with its rock abrasion tool, or "Rat."Opportunity has bored nearly a dozen holes into the inner walls of "Endurance Crater." On sols 177 and 178 (July 23 and July 24, 2004), the rover worked double-duty on Diamond Jenness. Surface debris and the bumpy shape of the rock resulted in a shallow and irregular hole, only about 2 millimeters (0.08 inch) deep. The final depth was not enough to remove all the bumps and leave a neat hole with a smooth floor. This extremely shallow depression was then examined by the rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. On Sol 178, Opportunity's "robotic rodent" dined on Diamond Jenness once again, grinding almost an additional 5 millimeters (about 0.2 inch). The rover then applied its Moessbauer spectrometer to the deepened hole. This double dose of Diamond Jenness enabled the science team to examine the rock at varying layers. Results from those grindings are currently being analyzed.The image mosaic is about 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) across. | |
Amazonis Planitia is a broad plain on Mars, covered with ancient lava. This image captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows an interesting feature of an old lava flow. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionAmazonis Planitia is a broad plain on Mars, covered with ancient lava. This image shows an interesting feature of an old lava flow.When it was mostly liquid, the lava had a crust of cooled debris floating on the surface. Here, the crust just barely scraped over some hills. The flow was able to make it past the hills, but the rubble crust was caught and piled up, forming thick masses of debris.Downstream from the hills, there was no crust left and the lava formed a smoother, fresh surface. Observations like this tell us about the scale of the lava flow (which must have been a huge sheet) and also which direction it was moving at the time when the crust interacted with the hills. The map is projected here at a scale of 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 59.0 centimeters (23.2 inches) per pixel (with 2 x 2 binning); objects on the order of 177 centimeters (69.7 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 hole, with a diameter slightly smaller than a U.S. dime, was drilled by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover into a rock target called 'Telegraph Peak.' The rock is located within the basal layer of Mount Sharp. The hole was drilled on Feb. 24, 2015. | This hole, with a diameter slightly smaller than a U.S. dime, was drilled by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover into a rock target called "Telegraph Peak," within the basal layer of Mount Sharp, The hole was drilled on Feb. 24, 2015, during the 908th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars. This view results from the merger of multiple images taken at different focus settings by Curiosity's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI). Telegraph Peak is the third target within the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop where Curiosity collected a drilled sample for analysis in the laboratory instruments inside the rover. 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 of the south polar cap captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a surface with hundreds of circular depressions. | Context imageThis VIS image of the south polar cap shows a surface with hundreds of circular depressions. This texture similar in appearance to swiss cheese.Orbit Number: 64535 Latitude: -86.8715 Longitude: 354.786 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-07-01 14:50Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image acquired on October 30, 2020 by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, shows a dust devil forming by rising and rotating warm air pockets. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on image for larger versionDust devils form by rising and rotating warm air pockets. Air near the soil surface can become heated by contact with the warmer ground during the day. The warm air is less dense and rises through the cooler air above it.As additional air moves inward along the surface to replace the rising pocket, it begins to rotate driven by Coriolis forces, and forms a vortex of spinning air. When the incoming air rises into the column, its rotation picks up speed like a spinning ice skater bring their arms closer to their body. This faster moving air near the soil surface can cause sand grains to bounce and kick up dust which easily rises up into the growing vortex. In this way a dust devil is born.The study of dust devils is important because they indicate atmospheric conditions such prevailing wind directions and speed. They also periodically cleanse the surface of the dust that gradually settles from the atmosphere. This is something that can be extremely helpful to robotic missions like InSight and Curiosity to keep their solar panels from getting too dusty.The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. (The original image scale is 26.5 centimeters [10.4 inches] per pixel [with 1 x 1 binning]; objects on the order of 79 centimeters [31.1 inches] across are resolved.) North is up.The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image taken on Sept. 27, 2006, by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the view of Victoria Crater from Duck Bay. | This image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the view of Victoria Crater from Duck Bay. Opportunity reached Victoria Crater on Sol 951 (September 27, 2006) after traversing 9.28 kilometers (5.77 miles) since her landing site at Eagle Crater. Victoria Crater is roughly 800 meters (one-half mile) wide -- about five times wider than Endurance Crater, and 40 times as wide as Eagle crater. The south face of the 6 meter (20 foot) tall layered Cape Verde promontory can be seen in the left side of the inner crater wall, about 50 meters (about 165 feet) away from the rover at the time of the imaging. The north face of the 15 meter (50 foot) tall stack of layered rocks called Cabo Frio can be seen on the right side of the inner crater wall. This mosaic was taken on Sols 952 and 953 (September 28 and 29, 2006). There are 30 separate pointings through 6 different filters at each pointing. This mosaic was generated from Pancam's 753 nm, 535 nm, and 482 nm filters. Four versions are available at full resolution: this approximate true color rendering, a false color stretch to enhance subtle color differences in the scene, a stereo anaglyph, which appears three dimensional when viewed through red-blue glasses, and a black and white version presented as a cylindrical projection with geometric seam correction. | |
Located on the margin of Zephyria Planum, this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows the effect the wind has had on the surface of Mars. Loose materials have been removed and semi-consolidated materials have been eroded into narrow hill forms. | Context imageLocated on the margin of Zephyria Planum, today's image shows the effect the wind has had on the surface of Mars. Loose materials have been removed and semi-consolidated materials have been eroded into narrow hill forms.Orbit Number: 36810 Latitude: 3.14977 Longitude: 151.047 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-04-02 06:52Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from the HiRISE instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows 'Victoria crater,' an impact crater at Meridiani Planum, near the equator of Mars. | First 414 Sols at 'Victoria Crater'
"Victoria Crater," about 800 meters (one-half mile) in diameter, has been home ground for NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity for more 14 of the rover's first 46 months on Mars. This view shows the rover's path overlaid on an image of the crater taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Opportunity first reached the crater's rim on Sept. 27, 2006, during the 951st Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work in the Meridian Planum region of Mars. The rover then explored clockwise about one-fourth of the way around the rim before returning to a point close to its first overlook. On the mission's 1,293rd sol (Sept. 13, 2007), Opportunity began a sustained exploration of the interior of the crater, entering at an alcove called "Duck Bay" on the western side of Victoria.
This traverse map includes Opportunity's route though Sol 1,365 (Nov. 26, 2007). The scale bar is 300 meters (984 feet) long. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows small, dark dunes are located in Hellas Basin, within a region of chaotic terrain. | Context image for PIA10304Hellas DunesThese small, dark dunes are located in Hellas Basin, within a region of chaotic terrain.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -48.5N, Longitude 67.7E. 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 shows the rock dubbed 'Humphrey' and the circular areas on the rock that were wiped off by the rover before drilling into the rock with its rock abrasion tool, exposing fresh rock underneath. | This image taken by the navigation camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows the rock dubbed "Humphrey" and the circular areas on the rock that were wiped off by the rover. The rover used a brush on its rock abrasion tool to clean these spots before examining them with its miniature thermal emission spectrometer. Later, the rover drilled into the rock with its rock abrasion tool, exposing fresh rock underneath. | |
One of the great strengths of the HiRISE camera onboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is that its high resolution can help resolve interesting questions. Here, is the platy flow material younger than the yardang-forming material? | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionOne of the great strengths of HiRISE is that its high resolution can help resolve interesting questions: in this observation, is the platy flow material younger than the yardang-forming material?A "yardang" is a streamlined hill made of loose rock and bedrock that's been shaped by wind erosion. The volcanic platy flow material in the same area should be older than the yardang material. The purpose of this observation is to figure out whether the platy flow materials trap or catch (embay) the yardang-forming material, or are just covered by that material.HiRISE is one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the orbiter's HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Gorgonum Chaos. Chaotic regions form when groundwater escapes to the surface, undermining it and causing the ground to collapse. | Context imageThis VIS image shows part of Gorgonum Chaos. Chaotic regions form when groundwater escapes to the surface, undermining it and causing the ground to collapse. The linear depressions at the bottom of the image are part of Sirenum Fossae. Gorgonum Chaos is located in Terra Sirenum.Orbit Number: 84080 Latitude: -37.7334 Longitude: 189.356 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2020-11-27 10:17Please 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. | |
Proposed MSL Site in Eberswalde Crater | Click on image for larger versionHiRISE image (PSP_003231_2095) of proposed landing site for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) in Eberswalde Crater.Observation Toolbox Acquisition date: 4 April 2007Local Mars time: 3:28 PMDegrees latitude (centered): 29.3°Degrees longitude (East): 73.3°Range to target site: 290.3 km (181.4 miles)Original image scale range: 29.0 cm/pixel(with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~87 cm across are resolvedMap-projected scale: 25 cm/pixel and north is upMap-projection: EQUIRECTANGULAREmission angle: 8.0°Phase angle: 73.5°Solar incidence angle: 66°, with the Sun about 24° above the horizonSolar longitude: 213.3°, 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 cylindrical projection image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows tracks from the drive extend northward across dark-toned sand ripples and light-toned patches of exposed bedrock in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its navigation camera to take the images combined into this full-circle view of the rover's surroundings just after driving 104 meters (341 feet) on the 1,770th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity's surface mission (January 15, 2009). Tracks from the drive extend northward across dark-toned sand ripples and light-toned patches of exposed bedrock in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars. For scale, the distance between the parallel wheel tracks is about 1 meter (about 40 inches).Prior to the Sol 1770 drive, Opportunity had driven less than a meter since Sol 1713 (November 17, 2008), while it used the tools on its robotic arm first to examine a meteorite called "Santorini" during weeks of restricted communication while the sun was nearly in line between Mars and Earth, then to examine bedrock and soil targets near Santorini.The rover's position after the Sol 1770 drive was about 1.1 kilometer (two-thirds of a mile) south southwest of Victoria Crater. Cumulative odometry was 13.72 kilometers (8.53 miles) since landing in January 2004, including 1.94 kilometers (1.21 miles) since climbing out of Victoria Crater on the west side of the crater on Sol 1634 (August 28, 2008). This view is presented as a cylindrical projection with geometric seam correction. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows numerous small, bright dunes in the channels of southern Thaumasia Planum. | Context image for PIA11347Bright DunesSmall, bright dunes are numerous in the channels of southern Thaumasia Planum.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -29.0N, Longitude 290.6E. 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. | |
Scientists believe the circular feature in this image to be a crater near NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The rover landed at Meridiani Planum on Mars at approximately 9:05 p.m. PST on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2004. | Scientists believe the circular feature in this image to be a crater near the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The rover landed at Meridiani Planum on Mars at approximately 9:05 p.m. PST on Saturday, Jan. 24. This image was taken at an altitude of 1,404 meters (4,606 feet) by the descent image motion estimation system camera located on the bottom of the rover. The image spans approximately 1.2 kilometers (3/4 of a mile) across the surface of Mars. | |
Dark slope streaks mark the side of the central peak on the floor of Cobres Crater in this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context imageDark slope streaks mark the side of the central peak on the floor of Cobres Crater.Orbit Number: 48092 Latitude: -11.6563 Longitude: 206.283 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-10-16 23:45Please 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 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) and the location where Curiosity collected its first drilled sample at the 'John Klein' rock. | 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) and the location where Curiosity collected its first drilled sample at the "John Klein" rock. The image 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 than other areas, suggesting differences relative to its surroundings. Curiosity crossed the boundary from lower thermal inertia values to higher values on Sol 121 (the 121st Martian day of operations, which was Dec. 8, 2012, on Earth) while driving down into an area known as "Yellowknife Bay". The black oval indicates the targeted landing area for the rover, known as the "landing ellipse," and the black cross shows where the rover actually touched down at what has since been named the Bradbury Landing site. The blue circle indicates where the John Klein drill site is within the Yellowknife Bay area.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. The John Klein outcrop is part of a geologic layer, known as "Sheepbed," which is a mudstone with abundant evidence for ancient aqueous processes. It seems likely that sediments were transported downhill from the eroding crater rim and became part of alluvial fan systems. The materials then flowed out where water and sediments accumulated to form a habitable environment represented by the Sheepbed mudstone. This image was obtained by the Thermal Emission Imaging System on NASA's Odyssey orbiter. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, and built Curiosity and CheMin.For more information about Curiosity and its mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is of a group of craters in Solis Planum. Because three of the craters are overlapping it is possible to determine the order in which those three were created. | Context image Today's VIS image is of a group of craters in Solis Planum. Because three of the craters are overlapping it is possible to determine the order in which those three were created. While we can not say exactly when in Martian history these craters formed, we can delineate the relative order of formation. Since impacts create circular craters, a recently formed crater will create a crescent into the crater it impacts. So the order of impact in this image is 1) the crater at the bottom, 2) the large crater in the middle of the image, and 3) the small crater mostly off this image to the right.Orbit Number: 67865 Latitude: -30.7955 Longitude: 276.931 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-04-01 23:16Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows several channel features. Towards the top of the image are several stream-lined islands, created by liquid flow eroding preexisting rock. | Context imageThis false color image contains several channel features. Towards the top of the image are several stream-lined islands, created by liquid flow eroding preexisting rock. The islands have a tear-drop shape, with the pointy end down stream from the rounded end. In this case the fluid flowed from the bottom right of the frame towards the upper left. Just below the center of the image is a larger, deeper channel. All these channel features merge into Ares Vallis, a huge outflow channel that empties into Chryse Planitia.The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image.Orbit Number: 61501 Latitude: 4.31188 Longitude: 343.17 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-10-25 18:03Please 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 image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Acheron Fossae. Acheron Fossae is the highly fractured, faulted and deformed terrain located north of the large shield volcano Olympus Mons. | Context imageThis VIS image shows part of Acheron Fossae. Acheron Fossae is the highly fractured, faulted and deformed terrain located 1,050 kilometers (650 miles) north of the large shield volcano Olympus Mons. Lava flows from Olympus Mons at the base of Acheron Fossae show that the fossae predate the flows. The scarps visible in this image are approximately one kilometer (3,300 feet) high.Orbit Number: 93718 Latitude: 38.2569 Longitude: 225.828 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2023-01-30 01:18Please 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. | |
This view from the front hazard-avoidance camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rover's arm's shadow falling near a bright mineral vein informally named 'Homestake.' | This view from the front hazard-avoidance camera on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rover's arm's shadow falling near a bright mineral vein informally named "Homestake." The vein is about the width of a thumb and about 18 inches (45 centimeters) long. Opportunity examined it in November 2011 and found it to be rich in calcium and sulfur, possibly the calcium-sulfate mineral gypsum."Homestake" is near the edge of the "Cape York" segment of the western rim of Endeavour Crater.Opportunity took this image during the 2,763rd Martian day, or sol, of the rover's career on Mars (Nov. 7, 2011). | |
Opportunity's Path, Sol 1,215 | The route followed by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity from its landing site through the 1,215th Martian day (or sol) of its mission (June 24, 2007), is marked on this map. The underlying image is from the Mars Observer Camera on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. | |
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity acquired this true-color image of the rim Beagle Crater July 30, 2006. The image reveals ejecta blocks near the rover and a portion of the eastern interior rim of Beagle Crater. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity took this approximate true-color image of Beagle Crater from a distance of about 25 meters (82 feet). The crater is thought to be relatively young based on its prominent, raised rim and surrounding ejecta that have not been eroded away or buried by sand. The image also shows a portion of the eastern interior rim of Beagle Crater, which appears composed of jumbled, angular blocks of brighter and darker outcrop rocks. The rover will drive to the rim of the crater and acquire an extensive color panorama in the coming sols. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows evidence of wind deposition of fine sediment in the form of drifts in the lee of obstacles in the martian south polar region. | 11 April 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows evidence of wind deposition of fine sediment in the form of drifts in the lee of obstacles in the martian south polar region. The picture is located near 83.4°S, 8.1°W. The image covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit taken in Oct 2005 show a sweeping panorama of the summit of 'Husband Hill,' a broad plateau of rock outcrops and windblown drifts. | 'Everest' Panorama 20-20 Vision (QTVR)'Everest' Panorama AnimationIf a human with perfect vision donned a spacesuit and stepped onto the martian surface, the view would be as clear as this sweeping panorama taken by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit. That's because the rover's panoramic camera has the equivalent of 20-20 vision. Earthlings can take a virtual tour of the scenery by zooming in on their computer screens many times to get a closer look at, say, a rock outcrop or a sand drift, without losing any detail. This level of clarity is unequaled in the history of Mars exploration.It took Spirit three days, sols 620 to 622 (Oct. 1 to Oct. 3, 2005), to acquire all the images combined into this mosaic, called the "Everest Panorama," looking outward in every direction from the true summit of "Husband Hill." During that period, the sky changed in color and brightness due to atmospheric dust variations, as shown in contrasting sections of this mosaic. Haze occasionally obscured the view of the hills on the distant rim of Gusev Crater 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. As dust devils swooped across the horizon in the upper right portion of the panorama, the robotic explorer changed the filters on the camera from red to green to blue, making the dust devils appear red, green, and blue. In reality, the dust devils are similar in color to the reddish-brown soils of Mars. No attempt was made to "smooth" the sky in this mosaic, as has been done in other panoramic-camera mosaics to simulate the view one would get by taking in the landscape all at once. The result is a sweeping vista that allows viewers to observe weather changes on Mars.The summit of Husband Hill is a broad plateau of rock outcrops and windblown drifts about 100 meters (300 feet) higher than the surrounding plains of Gusev Crater. In the distance, near the center of the mosaic, is the "South Basin," the destination for the downhill travel Spirit began after exploring the summit region.This panorama spans 360 degrees and consists of images obtained during 81 individual pointings of the panoramic camera. Four filters were used at each pointing. Images through three of the filters, for wavelengths of 750 nanometers, 530 nanometers and 430 nanometers, were combined for this approximately true-color rendering. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows undulating bands of dark and light sand, sloping dunes, and scattered cobbles form an apron around a ridge of light-colored rock that stands in bold relief against distant plains. | Undulating bands of dark and light sand, sloping dunes, and scattered cobbles form an apron around a ridge of light-colored rock that stands in bold relief against distant plains, as viewed by NASA's "Spirit" rover from the top of "Husband Hill" on Mars. "The view of the summit is spectacular where we are right now," said geologist Larry Crumpler, with the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque. From here, Spirit is looking north-northeast en route to examining more of the local geology of the "Columbia Hills" in Gusev Crater. A few days after taking this picture, Spirit investigated the small, sinuous drifts on the left, located north-northeast of the rover's position in this image. The last previous time Spirit examined a drift was on the rim of "Bonneville Crater" almost 500 martian days, or sols, ago, in March 2004.The largest light-colored rock in the foreground is nicknamed "Whittaker." The cliff beyond it and slightly to the left is nicknamed "Tenzing." The highest rock on the ridge ahead has been dubbed "Hillary." Science team members selected the nicknames in honor of the earliest climbers to scale Mount Everest on Earth. This view covers approximately 50 degrees of the compass from left to right. It is a mosaic assembled from frames Spirit took with the panoramic camera on sol 603 (Sept. 13, 2005). It was taken through a blue (430-nanometer) filter and is presented as a cylindrical projection. | |
This map shows various quadrant themes in the vicinity of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, which is currently in the Rocky Mountain quadrant. The rover team chose quadrant themes related to various national parks across Earth. | This map shows various quadrant themes in the vicinity of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, which is currently in the Rocky Mountain quadrant within the much broader Jezero Crater. Each quadrant is 0.7 miles (1.2 kilometers) on each side.The Perseverance team chose quadrant themes related to various national parks across Earth, from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Jotunheimen National Park in Norway. The themes help organize the unofficial nicknames that are given by rover team members to different surface features they want to study, such as hills, craters, boulders, and even specific rock surfaces. The first sedimentary rock core sample the rover took was from a rock nicknamed "Skinner Ridge" for a ridge in Shenandoah National Park when Perseverance was in that quadrant. Many hundreds of names are compiled into a list based on each theme and are applied as the rover explores that quadrant. Rovers can sometimes end up exploring a quadrant for months, exhausting the list of names and prompting a new list to be drawn up.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 raw-color view from Curiosity's Mastcam shows the rover's drill just after finishing a drilling operation at 'Telegraph Peak' on Feb. 24, 2015. | This view from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the rover's drill just after finishing a drilling operation at a target rock called "Telegraph Peak" on Feb. 24, 2015, the 908th Martian day, or sol, of the rover's work on Mars. Three sols later, a fault-protection action by the rover halted a process of transferring sample powder that was collected during this drilling. The image is in raw color, as recorded directly by the camera, and has not been white-balanced.The fault-protection event, triggered by an irregularity in electrical current, led to engineering tests in subsequent days to diagnose the underlying cause. Mastcam 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 taken at Meridiani Planum in 2004 shows NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's arm in its extended position. | This image taken by the front hazard-identification camera onboard the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rover's arm in its extended position. The arm, or instrument deployment device, was deployed on the ninth martian day, or sol, of the mission. The rover, now sitting 1 meter (3 feet) away from the lander, can be seen in the foreground. | |
The Call of the Dark Rocks | This false-color image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit shows a group of darker rocks dubbed "Toltecs," lying to the southeast of the rover's current position. The rocks are believed to be basaltic, or volcanic, in composition because their color and spectral properties resemble those of basaltic rocks studied so far at Gusev Crater. Scientists hope to use these presumably unaltered rocks as a geologic standard for comparison to altered rocks in the area, such as "Clovis." This image was taken by the 750-, 530- and 430-nanometer filters of rover's panoramic camera on sol 220 (August 15, 2004). | |
The collector head of NASA's Viking 1's surface sampler is full of Martian soil destined for the gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, the instrument which analyzes the surface material for the presence of organic molecules. | The collector head of Viking l's surface sampler is full of Martian soil destined for the gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, the instrument which analyzes the surface material for the presence of organic molecules. The material was scooped out of the surface on August 3, but the sampler arm stopped operating while transporting it to the instrument. The Martian soil will be deposited into the instrument's processor today. The surface sampler is operating properly, but the cause of last week's problem is not yet known. This picture, taken Monday (August 9), was made for operational purposes, focusing on the collector head. Hence, the out-of-focus view of the Martian surface. | |
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft captured these gullies located on a cliff-face within Lyell Crater on Mars. | Context image for PIA03190Lyell GulliesThese gullies are located on a cliff-face within Lyell Crater.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 69.6S, Longitude 346.3E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
These fractures and graben are part of Sirenum Fossae on Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA01944Sirenum FossaeThese fractures and graben are part of Sirenum Fossae.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -28.6N, Longitude 213.8E. 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. | |
Located east of Elysium Mons, Elysium Fossae is a large tectonic graben. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows that lava may have flowed in the channel feature. | Context imageLocated east of Elysium Mons, Elysium Fossae is a large tectonic graben. Lava may have flowed in the channel feature.Orbit Number: 61470 Latitude: 23.569 Longitude: 154.765 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-10-23 04:54Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows chasms and canyons cut through ancient, layered bedrock in West Candor, part of the vast Valles Marineris trough system on Mars. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-370, 24 May 2003West Candor is part of the vast Valles Marineris trough system. These chasms and canyons cut through ancient, layered bedrock. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture shows some of the layering revealed in the wall and on the upland surface outside of southwest Candor Chasma. This image is located near 6.7°S, 76.8°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the right/lower right. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a complex section of Nirgal Vallis on Mars. | Context imageCredit: NASA/JPL/MOLAThis VIS image shows a complex section of Nirgal Vallis.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -27.4N, Longitude 314.8E. 22 meter/pixel resolution.Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a small portion of the Nanedi Valles, two long channels in Xanthe Terra. | Context image for PIA11309Nanedi VallesThis VIS image shows a small portion of the Nanedi Valles, two long channels in Xanthe Terra.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 5.8N, Longitude 311.0E. 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 taken on August 31, 1998 by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the floors of polygon troughs that have bright, almost evenly spaced, windblown ripples or drifts. | Mars Global Surveyor's Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) continued to obtain images of the red planet during August and into September 1998. MOC has seen many features that address old questions and ideas about the geologic history of Mars.Among the geological features examined by MOC in recent weeks--the enigmatic "Giant Polygons" on the martian northern plains. In the 1970s the Viking Orbiters saw huge cracks, some more than 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) wide, arranged in a polygonal pattern that outlined flat-lying areas sometimes 5 to 20 kilometers (3 to 12 miles) across. Giant polygons are most common in parts of Utopia Planitia and Acidalia Planitia, but there is also a cluster of them in the lowlands west of the Elysium volcanoes, on Elysium Planitia.The exact origin of the giant polygons has never been determined. At first glance, they appear to resemble mud cracks that one might see on the surface of a dried-up puddle, pond, or lake. However, mud cracks and the polygonal patterns they create are small features--like the size of a human hand. The giant polygons on Mars are big enough to hold the entire downtown area of a moderate-sized city.Mud cracks form by dessication-- i.e., the removal of water by evaporation (drying). Many ideas about the polygons on Mars have centered on the idea that they are somehow related to the dessication of thick layers of wet sediment-- perhaps deposited by some of the giant floods that Mars is known to have had. However, there has been considerable debate about whether the polygons formed in lava instead of sediment. Cooling lava might also crack and give the polygon texture, some have argued. Two observations have been made--using Viking images--that constrain the types of origins that can be proposed: (1) most of the "cracks" appear to be graben- -down-dropped blocks caused by faulting, and (2) some of the "cracks" appear to indicate the outlines of buried craters. These observations suggest that whatever caused the polygons, the process appears to be confined to material that has buried older terrain.The new MOC image confirms the impression--from Viking images--that the polygon cracks-- troughs--are graben formed by faults. Unfortunately, the image does not provide ample information to distinguish between the various models for the origin of the polygons or the material in which they occur. The images, however, do show features of interest. The floors of the polygon troughs have bright, almost evenly spaced, windblown ripples or drifts(see also detailed sub-areas). Similar drifts can also be seen in and encroaching upon the surrounding, small impact craters. These drifts attest to the movement of sediment on the surface, and their brightness and shape suggests that they have not been active recently.MOC image 52706 was taken at about 11:36 p.m. (PDT) on August 31, 1998, during the 526th orbit of Mars Global Surveyor as the spacecraft was nearing its 527th periapsis (closest point to the planet during the orbit).Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows sand dunes on the floor of an unnamed crater in Terra Cimmeria. Dark blue in this filter combination indicates basaltic sand. | 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 sand dunes on the floor of an unnamed crater in Terra Cimmeria. Dark blue in this filter combination indicates basaltic sand.Orbit Number: 69566 Latitude: -9.20212 Longitude: 129.12 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2017-08-20 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. | |
These yardangs - wind eroded ridges - are part of Eumenides Dorsum on Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA09126 YardangsThese yardangs - wind eroded ridges - are part of Eumenides Dorsum.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 8.2N, Longitude 203.8E. 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. | |
The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Aureum Chaos. | 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 Aureum Chaos.Orbit Number: 12384 Latitude: -3.1928 Longitude: 332.676 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2004-09-29 00:24Please 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. | |
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 the edge of the polar cap and Argentea 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 the edge of the polar cap and Argentea Planum.Orbit Number: 59842 Latitude: -83.5585 Longitude: 359.691 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-06-11 02:50Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows the sand deposit on the floor of Matara Crater. The deposit is thick enough to hide the underlying crater floor creating a sheet of sand. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows the sand deposit on the floor of Matara Crater. The deposit is thick enough to hide the underlying crater floor creating a sheet of sand. Upon this sheet of sand the wind has created dune forms. Matara Crater is located in Noachis Terra.Orbit Number: 75438 Latitude: -49.5195 Longitude: 34.6327 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2018-12-16 19:39Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the layered, cratered volume of the upper crust of Mars in a very simple form. The image shows three distinct circular features. | 11 November 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image captures some of the complexity of the martian upper crust. Mars does not simply have an impact-cratered surface, its upper crust is a cratered volume. Over time, older craters on Mars have been eroded, filled, buried, and in some cases exhumed and re-exposed at the martian surface. The crust of Mars is layered to depths of 10 or more kilometers, and mixed in with the layered bedrock are a variety of ancient craters with diameters ranging from a few tens of meters (a few tens of yards) to several hundred kilometers (more than one or two hundred miles).The picture shown here captures some of the essence of the layered, cratered volume of the upper crust of Mars in a very simple form. The image shows three distinct circular features. The smallest, in the lower right quarter of the image, is a meteor crater surrounded by a mound of material. This small crater formed within a layer of bedrock that once covered the entire scene, but today is found only in this small remnant adjacent to the crater. The intermediate-sized crater, west (left) of the small one, formed either in the next layer down--that is, below the layer in which the small crater formed--or it formed in some layers that are now removed, but was big enough to penetrate deeply into the rock that is near the surface today. The largest circular feature in the image, in the upper right quarter of the image, is still largely buried. It formed in layers of rock that are below the present surface. Erosion has brought traces of its rim back to the surface of Mars. This picture is located near 50.0°S, 77.8°W, and covers an area approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates this October 2004 image from the upper left. | |
In this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraftwestern flows change in appearance. The flows are typically broad, and the surface texture is more subdued than the southern flows. At the bottom of the image a windstreak 'tail' has formed behind a crater. | As we move futher away from the volcano, the western flows change in appearance. The flows are typically broad, and the surface texture is more subdued than the southern flows. At the bottom of the image a windstreak "tail" has formed behind a crater. Other dark streaks indicate that strong westward blowing winds occur in this region.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -9.6, Longitude 227.6 East (132.4 West). 17 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows three small buttes in the Memnonia Sulci region of Mars. The buttes are remnants of formerly more extensive layered rock that once covered the region. | 20 April 2004This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows three small buttes in the Memnonia Sulci region of Mars near 10.5°S, 176.1°W. The buttes are remnants of formerly more extensive layered rock that once covered the region. The larger butte has several dark slope streaks formed by downslope movement (landsliding/avalanching) of dust. The picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the left. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows the northern margin of Olympus Mons, the largest Martian volcano. | Context imageOlympus Rupes is the name of the large escarpment surrounding Olympus Mons. The escarpment is a cliff where there is a large elevation change over a short distance. The elevation change from the lower volcanic plains to the volcano flank is up to 8km (5 miles), almost the height of Mount Everest. This VIS image is located along the northern margin of Olympus Mons, the largest Martian volcano. The brighter toned material in the central part of this image is the escarpment, with the lower elevation surface at the top of the image.Orbit Number: 89625 Latitude: 21.7334 Longitude: 229.57 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-02-27 00:48Please 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. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows sharp detail of a scarp at the head of Chasma Boreale, a large trough cut by erosion into the martian north polar cap and the layered material beneath the ice cap. | This view shows sharp detail of a scarp at the head of Chasma Boreale, a large trough cut by erosion into the martian north polar cap and the layered material beneath the ice cap. The picture is a mosaic of two images acquired in January 2005 by the Mars Orbiter Camera on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor, using a resolution-enhancing technique called "compensated pitch and roll targeted observation." The camera team considers this the best pair of images yet acquired using that technique.During each northern summer on Mars, there occurs a narrow window in time of two to three months when conditions are ideal to image the north polar cap at high resolution. Throughout this period, the atmosphere is generally clear over the cap, and the seasonal carbon-dioxide frost from the previous winter and spring has sublimed away, permitting a good view of the surface geology. The two images in this mosaic were acquired during this brief period during the most recent northern summer. Within a few weeks of when these images were acquired, dust storm activity picked up in the north polar region, making the atmosphere too dusty to obtain any more detailed views until late 2006. Chasma Boreale is cut into the layered material that lies beneath the water ice of the north polar cap. For decades, these layered materials were assumed to consist of a mixture of ice and dust. Mars Orbiter Camera images obtained in 1999 and 2001 began to show that some of the layers are a source for windblown sand. The science objective for the two images shown in this mosaic was to look for boulders in the debris shed from the steep slopes cut into the north polar layers by Chasma Boreale. Finding boulders would imply that the layers that are the most resistant to erosion in the polar region are as competent as solid rock, perhaps giving a new insight into the nature of the polar layered materials. The pictured site is near 84.8 degrees north latitude, 356.4 degrees west longitude.Examination of the high-resolution mosaic shows that there are indeed some large boulders that have eroded out of the layered materials and rolled down the slopes. It is possible, therefore, that the north polar layers are not simply a mixture of ice, dust, and sand. Some layers may actually be rock, cemented by minerals rather than by ice. Alternatively, if the materials are cemented by ice, then a future high-resolution view might show that the boulders have become smaller over time. In addition to the observation of boulders eroding out of the polar layered materials, the mosaic also helps confirm that dark sand is eroding out of the polar layered materials, and that there are three different groups of layers under the polar ice. The upper unit is light-toned, finely layered, and more resistant to erosion (more competent, less easily destroyed by erosion) than the middle unit, which is rich in dark sand but also has several shelf-forming layers in it. Finally, below the dark, sandy layer is a third unit that is light-toned and has a different appearance relative to the other two units. Some of its layers have surfaces that have been broken by shallow fractures into polygonal and linear forms, also implying that they are hard, resistant rock.The level of detail seen in the mosaic was made possible by the development of a resolution-enhancing technique for using the Mars Orbiter Camera. During 2003 and 2004, the Mars Orbiter Camera operations team at Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, Calif., worked closely with the Mars Global Surveyor operations teams at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., and Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, Colo., to develop a new technique in which the spacecraft does a maneuver that permits the camera to acquire images at a higher spatial resolution than normal. Usually, Mars Orbiter Camera images have a resolution of about 1.5 meters (5 feet) per pixel, and the camera can be commanded to acquire lower resolution data when desired. To obtain a higher resolution, the whole spacecraft must be pitched at such a rate that the camera over-samples its view of the martian surface in the down-track direction. Called compensated pitch and roll targeted observation, or cPROTO, this technique allows Mars Orbiter Camera to obtain images that have a resolution of about 50 centimeters (20 inches) per pixel in the down-track direction, and 150 centimeters (5 feet) per pixel in the cross-track dimension. The Mars Orbiter Camera was built and is operated by Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, Calif. Mars Global Surveyor left Earth on Nov. 7, 1996, and began orbiting Mars on Sept. 12, 1997. JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages Mars Global Surveyor for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. | |
In this observation from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter made for a study of ancient craters, we see the craters filled with smooth material that has subsequently degraded into scallops. These formations might be possibly due to ground ice sublimation. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionIn this observation made for a study of ancient craters, we see the craters filled with smooth material that has subsequently degraded into scallops. These formations might be possibly due to ground ice sublimation.High resolution can help to estimate any differences in roughness on the smoother main mantle and in the eroded hollows. With the enhanced color swath, we might be able to view composition variations of the material.This caption is based on the original science rationale.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 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows the northern margin of Tanaica Montes. These hills are cut by fractures, which are in alignment with the regional trend of tectonic faulting found east of Alba Mons. | Context imageThis VIS image shows the northern margin of Tanaica Montes. These hills are cut by fractures, which are in alignment with the regional trend of tectonic faulting found east of Alba Mons.Orbit Number: 61129 Latitude: 40.1468 Longitude: 269.641 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-09-25 03:03Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Northern Plains | Image PSP_001491_2465 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 20, 2006. The complete image is centered at 66.4 degrees latitude, 43.8 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 312.9 km (195.6 miles). At this distance the image scale is 31.3 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~94 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:07 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 58 degrees, thus the sun was about 32 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 138.3 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
The dissected surface seen in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is near Warrego Valles on Mars. | Context image for PIA01946Dissected SurfaceThe dissected surface seen in this image is near Warrego Valles.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -19.1N, Longitude 244.0E. 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. | |
Ius Chasma is one of several canyons that make up Valles Marineris, the largest canyon system in the Solar System as seen by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | Ius Chasma is one of several canyons that make up Valles Marineris, the largest canyon system in the Solar System.The canyons likely formed by extension in association with the development of the Tharsis plateau and volcanoes to the west. Wind and possibly water have modified the canyons after they formed.This observation shows the floor of Ius Chasma. The floor is bounded to the north and south by higher standing wallrock, with a few exposures of wallrock seen in the north (top) of the picture. Much of the floor is covered by ripples that are oriented approximately north-south, indicating an east to west wind flow, parallel to the orientation of Ius Chasma.Layered deposits and bright patches of material are also seen along portions of the Ius Chasma floor. The layered deposits appear distinct in morphology from the nearby wallrock. These layered deposits could be lava flows, sediments deposited in a former lake, or fines that settled out from the atmosphere over time, such as dust or volcanic ash.The bright outcrops visible further south in the image have been seen elsewhere in Valles Marineris as well as other locations on Mars and tend to have mineral signatures consistent with sulfates. Data from the CRISM instrument (also on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter) of the composition of these bright patches in Ius Chasma could shed insight into their origin.The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the spacecraft development and integration contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. | |
This image, part of an images as art series from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey released on Feb 13, 2004 shows dunes on Mars resembling a rainstorm. | Released 13 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.Today we conclude our week of aquatic-style art on Mars with a gentle (or, perhaps, not-so-gentle) rainstorm.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the layered and wind sculpted deposit that occurs on the floor of Candor Chasma on Mars. | Context image for PIA03080Candor Chasma FloorThis VIS image shows part of the layered and wind sculpted deposit that occurs on the floor of Candor Chasma.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 6.6S, Longitude 284.4E. 17 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a section of Mamers Valles. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows a section of Mamers Valles. The channel enters a crater in the center of the image and exits at the top of the image. The channel is nearly 1000 km long (600 miles). Mamers Valles originates near Cerulli Crater in northern Arabia Terra, and after a short section near the crater where flow is to the south, flows northward to empty in Deuteronilus Mensae. The steep walls of Mamers Valles can reach heights of 1200 m (4000 feet).Orbit Number: 89520 Latitude: 33.5229 Longitude: 17.1272 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-02-18 09:21Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of Meridiani Planum. Meridiani Planum has been the home of the Opportunity MER rover since January 2004. | Context imageThis VIS image shows part of Meridiani Planum. Meridiani Planum has been the home of the Opportunity MER rover since January 2004. The rover was last heard from at the start of the large dust storms during the summer of 2018. After many months trying to reestablish communications, the mission was declared over in February 2019. The rover covered over 25 miles of travel and provided new insights into the geology of Mars. Opportunity's original mission length was just 90 days, but it lasted 15 years! Good night Opportunity. For more information about Opportunity, and her sister, Spirit, visit https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/mission/overview/.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: 61912 Latitude: 1.53921 Longitude: 5.18703 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2015-11-28 14:22Please 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. | |
Gypsum Dunes North of Phoenix Landing Site | This image of sulfate deposits, including gypsum, in the Olympia Undae region of Mars was taken by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) at 0026 UTC on November 18, 2006 (7:26 p.m. EDT on November 17, 2006) near 80 degrees north latitude, 245 degrees east longitude. CRISM's image was taken in 544 colors covering 0.36-3.92 micrometers, and shows features as small as 20 meters (66 feet) across.Named for a classic albedo feature, Olympia Undae is a large dune field that stretches some 1,100 kilometers (684 miles) across the northern polar regions of Mars, just south of the ice cap.In 2005 CRISM's sibling instrument, OMEGA, on board Mars Express, captured data revealing that Olympia Undae_x0092_s dunes hold sulfate minerals including gypsum. With more than five times the spatial resolution of OMEGA, CRISM has captured greater detail of this region.The top image reveals the location of CRISM data on a Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) map. The area from which CRISM data were gathered is roughly 12 degrees north and 11 degrees east of the region where Phoenix recently landed.The lower left image is an infrared, false-color image that reveals dark colored dunes overlying a lighter, rust-colored substrate. CRISM spectral data (lower right image) shows the region is inundated with sulfates. It also reveals that the darker dune material holds a higher concentration of the water-bearing calcium sulfate mineral gypsum. A full resolution targeted CRISM image taken just five degrees west of the image above, revealed greater gypsum concentrations along the dunes_x0092_ crests (Gypsum at Olympia Undae).On Earth, gypsum is the most common sulfate mineral and is widely found in sedimentary rocks. It_x0092_s frequently associated with evaporite salts and is often found as a thick layer beneath halite or rock salt. Although most often associated with evaporites, gypsum can also occur in layers with limestone and shale. Most people are familiar with gypsum in the form of plaster of Paris.CRISM is one of six science instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Led by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md., the CRISM team includes expertise from universities, government agencies and small businesses in the United States and abroad. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Mars Science Laboratory for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the orbiter. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of the flank of Tyrrhenus Mons. Tyrrhenus Mons is one of the oldest martian volcanoes. | Context imageToday's VIS image crosses part of the flank of Tyrrhenus Mons. Tyrrhenus Mons is one of the oldest martian volcanoes. Unlike most of the other Martian volcanoes, it is made of layers that include softer volcanic ash rather than just basaltic flows. This difference is evident in how the volcano is being eroded, creating broad intersecting sinuous channels.On Earth basaltic flows form broad shield volcanoes like Hawaii. Shield volcanoes can erupt from the central crater, as well as along the flanks. Volcanoes with ash layers, called composite volcanoes, form steeper sides like Mt Rainier and Mt Fuji, with material erupting only from the central caldera. Tyrrhenus Mons more closely resembles composite volcanoes.Orbit Number: 88182 Latitude: -20.6084 Longitude: 105.788 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-10-31 04:55Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of the Nili Patera dune field. Winds are blowing the dunes across a rough surface of regional volcanic lava flows. The paterae are calderas on the volcanic complex called Syrtis Major Planum. | Context image This image shows part of the Nili Patera dune field. High resolution imaging by other spacecraft has revealed that the dunes in this region are moving. Winds are blowing the dunes across a rough surface of regional volcanic lava flows. The paterae are calderas on the volcanic complex called Syrtis Major Planum. Dunes are found in both Nili and Meroe Paterae and in the region between the two calderas.The 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: 39109 Latitude: 8.96069 Longitude: 67.5169 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-10-08 14:02Please 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. | |
Linear ridges are located in the topographic lows just north of Meridiani Planum in this image from NASA's Mars Odyssey. | Context imageLinear ridges are located in the topographic lows in this image located just north of Meridiani Planum. The ridges are likely caused by material that filled tectonic fractures which is more resistant to erosion than the surrounding materials. When the less resistant material is removed the ridges remain to mark the location of former tectonic fractures.Orbit Number: 39885 Latitude: 11.8474 Longitude: 0.701863 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2010-12-11 11:32Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft captured this image in July 2003, showing graben (fracture) in Memnonia Fossae, noteworthy because one can still see large blocks on the floor. These blocks most likely dropped down from above when the fracture opened up. | Released 14 July 2003This graben (fracture) in Memnonia Fossae is noteworthy because one can still see large blocks on the floor. These blocks most likely dropped down from above when the fracture opened up.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -18.2, Longitude 211.4 East (148.6 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 captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows parallel sets of depressions. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows parallel sets of depressions. These are tectonic graben formed when a block of material is down dropped between paired faults. Nilokeras Fossa is located on the margin of Kasei Valles.Orbit Number: 63224 Latitude: 24.5752 Longitude: 302.591 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-03-15 15:52Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This self-portrait of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity combines dozens of exposures to show gray-powder and two holes where Curiosity used its drill on the rock target 'John Klein.' | This self-portrait of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity combines dozens of exposures taken by the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) during the 177th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (Feb. 3, 2013), plus three exposures taken during Sol 270 (May 10, 2013) to update the appearance of part of the ground beside the rover. The updated area, which is in the lower left quadrant of the image, shows gray-powder and two holes where Curiosity used its drill on the rock target "John Klein." The portion has been spliced into a self-portrait that was prepared and released in February (PIA16764), before the use of the drill. The result shows what the site where the self-portrait was taken looked like by the time the rover was ready to drive away from that site in May 2013.The rover's robotic arm is not visible in the mosaic. MAHLI, which took the component images for this mosaic, is mounted on a turret at the end of the arm. Wrist motions and turret rotations on the arm allowed MAHLI to acquire the mosaic's component images. The arm was positioned out of the shot in the images, or portions of images, used in the mosaic.Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, developed, built and operates MAHLI. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project and the mission's Curiosity rover for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The rover was designed and assembled at JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.For more about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl, http://www.nasa.gov/mars, and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a small part of Mars' north polar sand sea, or erg. In this region individual dunes are coalescing into large dune groups. | Context image for PIA11292Polar DunesThis VIS image shows a small part of the north polar sand sea [or erg]. In this region individual dunes are coalescing into large dune groups.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 77.0N, Longitude 309.5E. 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. | |
Edge of the Olympus Mons | Click on image for larger versionOlympus Mons, the largest volcano in the Solar System, has a mysterious halo (aureole) of material on its western and northern sides. There have been many ideas about how this feature may have formed over the years, but the hypothesis that this is a giant landslide deposit has gained favor.Many large volcanoes on the Earth collapse under their own weight, so it seems reasonable that Olympus Mons would do the same. The edge of the aureole is seen at the top (northern) part of the image (PSP_002184_2005). It is interesting that the main part of the aureole seems sunk down compared to the edge. It is possible that the ridge along the outer margin of the aureole formed as the flow turned around after pushing uphill for a ways. Imagine a giant wave of rock pushing up onto the "beach" and then receding. It might leave a deposit like this.Alternatively, glaciers push up a ramp of rock at their fronts. After they retreat, the ridge of rock is left at the furthest extent of the glacier. These are called "terminal moraines" by geologists. Many large volcanoes on the Earth collapse under their own weight, so it seems reasonable that Olympus Mons would do the same. The edge of the aureole is seen at the top (northern) part of the image. Observation Toolbox Acquisition date: 1 January 2007Local Mars time: 3:36 PMDegrees latitude (centered): 20.1°Degrees longitude (East): 219.7°Range to target site: 282.2 km (176.4 miles)Original image scale range: 56.5 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~169 cm across are resolvedMap-projected scale: 50 cm/pixel and north is upMap-projection: EQUIRECTANGULAREmission angle: 2.8°Phase angle: 51.7°Solar incidence angle: 54°, with the Sun about 36° above the horizonSolar longitude: 166.1°, Northern SummerNASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows part of 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 part of 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: 91605 Latitude: -30.5661 Longitude: 180.166 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-08-09 00:41Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows mesas and valleys that are part of Echus Chaos. | Context imageThe mesas and valleys in the center of this VIS image are part of Echus Chaos. Located on the margin of Lunae Planum and south of Kasei Valles, Echus Chaos is 480 km (298 miles) long.Orbit Number: 85293 Latitude: 13.7712 Longitude: 285.65 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2021-03-07 08:06Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Very Dusty Solar Panel on Spirit, Sol 1811 | NASA Mars Exploration Rover Spirit took this image using the left eye of its navigation camera during the 1,811th Martian day, or sol, of Spirit's mission on Mars (February 5, 2009). Contrast has been stretched to make dust on the solar panel more easily visible.Engineering data from Spirit's power subsystem indicated that some dust blew off the rover's solar array on the following day, Sol 1812 (February 6, 2009). This image and one from Sol 1813 (February 7, 2009) (PIA11799) provide a before-and-after comparison of the dust visible on Spirit's rear solar array. The reduction in the dust coating is difficult to discern in the images. The cleaning event was detected by a change in electrical output from the solar panels. Spirit's daily energy supply from the solar array increased by about 30 watt-hours, to about 240 watt-hours from 210 watt-hours. (Thirty watt-hours is enough to illuminate a 30 watt bulb for one hour.) Before the Sol 1812 cleaning, only 25 percent of sunlight hitting the array was getting past the dust to be used by the photovoltaic cells. That factor improved to 28 percent after the cleaning event.Spirit took this image at about 2:49 p.m. local solar time at Spirit's location inside Gusev Crater. The rover's position was next to the northern edge of the low plateau called "Home Plate," visible beyond the solar panel. | |
The lava flows seen in this image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft are part of Daedalia Planum. The flows are associated with Arsia Mons. | Context imageThe lava flows seen in today's VIS image are part of Daedalia Planum. The flows are associated with Arsia Mons.Orbit Number: 44745 Latitude: -19.2258 Longitude: 243.165 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-01-15 12:07Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows yardangs, a typical ridge pattern formed by wind erosion, in southern Amazonis on Mars. | 26 August 2005This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows yardangs -- a typical ridge pattern formed by wind erosion -- in southern Amazonis. Some time after the wind erosion occurred, conditions changed and, instead of erosion, the region experienced deposition by a relatively thin, uniform coating of dust. It is this coating of dust that gives the region a monotone appearance. Dark streaks occurring on slopes are formed by avalanching of the dry dust.Location near: 10.1°N, 156.9°W Image width: width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Autumn | |
The NASA Mars rover Curiosity used its left Navigation Camera to record this view of the step down into a shallow depression called 'Yellowknife Bay.' The descent into the basin crossed a step about 2 feet high, visible in the upper half of this image. | The NASA Mars rover Curiosity used its left Navigation Camera to record this view of the step down into a shallow depression called "Yellowknife Bay." It took the image on the 125th Martian day, or sol, of the mission (Dec. 12, 2012), just after finishing that sol's drive. The Sol 125 drive entered Yellowknife Bay and covered about 86 feet (26.1 meters). The descent into the basin crossed a step about 2 feet (half a meter) high, visible in the upper half of this image.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The mission's Curiosity rover was designed, developed and assembled at JPL.For more about NASA's Curiosity mission, visit: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/msl, http://www.nasa.gov/mars, and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl. | |
Spirit's Wheels Digging into Soft Ground, Sol 1899 | Wheel slippage during attempts to extricate NASA's Mars Rover Spirit from a patch of soft ground during the preceding two weeks had partially buried the wheels by the 1,899th Martian day, or sol, of the Spirit's mission on Mars (May 6, 2009).Spirit took this image with its front hazard-avoidance camera on Sol 1899. With Spirit in the position shown here, the rover team temporarily suspended driving attempts while studying the ground around Spirit and planning simulation tests of driving options with a test rover at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.Driving attempts between the time Spirit took a similar image (PIA12002) 10 sols earlier and when this image was taken moved the rover a total of about 36 centimeters (14 inches). While driving backwards, the rover drags its right front wheel, which no longer rotates. For scale, the distance between the wheel tracks is about 1 meter (40 inches). This view is looking northward, with Husband Hill on the horizon. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows a scar left by a landslide revealing layers in the bedrock at the top the slope and shows a plethora of dark-toned, house-sized boulders that rolled down the slope and collected at the base of the landslide scar. | The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) continues in 2003 to return excellent, high resolution images of the red planet's surface. This nearly 1.5 meters (5 ft.) per pixel view of a landslide on a 200 meter-high (219 yards-high) slope in Kasei Valles was specifically targeted for scientific investigation by rotating the MGS spacecraft about 7.8° off-nadir in January 2003. The scar left by the landslide reveals layers in the bedrock at the top the slope and shows a plethora of dark-toned, house-sized boulders that rolled down the slope and collected at the base of the landslide scar. A few meteor impact craters have formed on the landslide deposit and within the scar, indicating that this landslide occurred a very long time ago. Sunlight illuminates this scene from the left/lower left; the landslide is located near 28.3°N, 71.9°W. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a volcanic vent in Daedalia bound on the south by a graben resembling a horseshoe. | Context image for PIA10831THEMIS ART #86A horseshoe for luck! This volcanic vent in Daedalia is bound on the south by a graben.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -23.7N, Longitude 222.4E. 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 channels carved into the plains mantled with dust southeast of the large volcano, Olympus Mons on Mars. | 7 April 2005 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows channels carved into the plains southeast of the large volcano, Olympus Mons. The fluid that created these landforms flowed from upper right toward the lower left, but its nature is unknown. Today, the entire scene is mantled with dust.Location near: 16.0°N, 129.3°W Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Autumn | |
This low-angle self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle at the site from which it reached down to drill into a rock target called 'Buckskin' on lower Mount Sharp. | This low-angle self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle at the site from which it reached down to drill into a rock target called "Buckskin" on lower Mount Sharp. The selfie combines several component images 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. For scale, the rover's wheels are 20 inches (50 centimeters) in diameter and about 16 inches (40 centimeters) wide. This view is a portion of a larger panorama available at PIA19807.A close look reveals a small rock stuck onto Curiosity's left middle wheel (on the right in this head-on view). The rock had been seen previously during periodic monitoring of wheel condition about three weeks earlier, in the MAHLI raw image at http://mars.nasa.gov/msl/multimedia/raw/?rawid=1046MH0002640000400290E01_DXXX&s=1046.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. This yielded a view that includes the rover's "belly," as in a partial self-portrait (/catalog/PIA16137) taken about five weeks after Curiosity's August 2012 landing inside Mars' Gale Crater. The selfie at Buckskin does not include the rover's robotic arm beyond a portion of the upper arm held nearly vertical from the shoulder joint. 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. This process was used previously in acquiring and assembling Curiosity self-portraits taken at sample-collection sites "Rocknest" (PIA16468), "John Klein" (PIA16937), "Windjana" (PIA18390) and "Mojave" (PIA19142).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.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 PIA19808_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. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows sand dunes within Proctor Crater. | Context imageThis VIS image 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 often lean up against the downwind walls of the craters. Dunes are useful for studying both the geology and meteorology of Mars. The sand forms by erosion of larger rocks, but it is unclear when and where this erosion took place on Mars or how such large volumes of sand could be formed. 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). Proctor Crater is located in Noachis Terra and is 168 km (104 miles) in diameter.Orbit Number: 93120 Latitude: -47.5698 Longitude: 30.2743 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2022-12-11 18:38Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This image from NASA's Mars Odyssey shows a cross section of Gale Crater, including the large layered deposit in the center of the crater floor. Gale Crater is the home of the Curiosity Rover. | 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 cross section of Gale Crater, including the large layered deposit in the center of the crater floor. Gale Crater is the 'home' of the Curiosity Rover.Orbit Number: 77287 Latitude: -5.53403 Longitude: 138.375 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2019-05-18 02:45Please 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 true-color image shows a circular indentation in a flat-topped rock surface. Around the edge of the hole is a fine layer of dust. The rock has a moderately cracked the surface. Around it is a layer of sand and pebbles. The view is reddish brown. | NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity recently stopped to analyze an exposure of rock near "Beagle Crater," on a target nicknamed "Baltra." Nearly 100 sols, or Martian days, had passed since Opportunity had last analyzed one of the now-familiar rock exposures seen on the Plains of Meridiani. The rover ground a 3-millimeter-deep (0.12-inch-deep) hole in the rock using the rock abrasion tool on sol 893 (July 29, 2006) while stationed about 25 meters (82 feet) from the southwest rim of Beagle Crater.Scientists wanted to analyze the outcrop one more time before driving the rover onto the ring of smooth material surrounding "Victoria Crater." Opportunity's analysis showed the rock to be very similar in its elemental composition to other exposures encountered during the rover's southward trek across Meridiani Planum.Opportunity acquired the image data shown here shortly after noon on Mars on sol 896 (Aug. 1, 2006) with the panoramic camera (Pancam), after backing up 1 meter (3.3 feet) from Baltra to assure that the target was in sunlight. This is an approximately true-color Pancam image, generated from mathematical combinations of calibrated left-eye images using filters ranging from 432-nanometer to 753-nanometer wavelengths. | |
This unusual surface texture is found in Utopia Planitia on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image for PIA08728Utopia PlanitiaThis unusual surface texture is found in Utopia Planitia.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 39.2N, Longitude 107.6E. 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. | |
The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This false color image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Granicus Valles. | Context imageThe THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of Granicus Valles.Orbit Number: 2729 Latitude: 26.5888 Longitude: 135.995 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2002-07-27 06:30Please 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 mosaic shows the calibration target for the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA's Curiosity rover, as seen by the ChemCam's remote micro-imager. The 10 images incorporated in this mosaic were taken on Aug. 15. | This mosaic shows the calibration target for the Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) instrument on NASA's Curiosity rover, as seen by the ChemCam's remote micro-imager. The 10 images incorporated in this mosaic were taken on Aug. 15. The ChemCam instrument will be firing a series of powerful, but invisible, laser pulses at a target rock or soil. It is located on the rover's mast. A telescopic camera known as the remote micro-imager will show the context of the spots hit with the laser. The calibration target has nine circles of different materials that scientists think the rover might encounter on Mars and one titanium-alloy square with a painted edge. The assembly is 5 inches (13 centimeters) long and incorporates targets fabricated in France and at Los Alamos National Laboratory in a metal body fabricated at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. In these images, scientists can see that the targets have different textures. Also visible in the titanium square are pits from laser firing tests before launch.ChemCam's imager was provided by the French space agency (CNES) and was flight- qualified by the Institute of Space Astrophysics in Orsay, France (IAS).
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. | |
This is NASA InSight's second full selfie on Mars. Since taking its first selfie, a thin coating of dust now covers the spacecraft. | This is NASA InSight's second full selfie on Mars. Since taking its first selfie, the lander has removed its heat probe and seismometer from its deck, placing them on the Martian surface; a thin coating of dust now covers the spacecraft as well.This selfie is a mosaic made up of 14 images taken on March 15 and April 11 - the 106th and 133rd Martian days, or sols, of the mission - by InSight's Instrument Deployment Camera, located on its robotic arm. InSight's first selfie showed its instruments still on the deck. Now that they're removed, the viewer can see the spacecraft's air pressure sensor (white object in center), the tether box for its seismometer and the tether for its heat probe running across the deck. Also visible is its robotic arm and grapple.JPL manages InSight for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. InSight is part of NASA's Discovery Program, managed by the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built the InSight spacecraft, including its cruise stage and lander, and supports spacecraft operations for the mission.A number of European partners, including France's Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), are supporting the InSight mission. CNES provided the Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure (SEIS) instrument to NASA, with the principal investigator at IPGP (Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris). Significant contributions for SEIS came from IPGP; the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany; the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) in Switzerland; Imperial College London and Oxford University in the United Kingdom; and JPL. DLR provided the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3) instrument, with significant contributions from the Space Research Center (CBK) of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Astronika in Poland. Spain's Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) supplied the temperature and wind sensors. | |
This large sand sheet and dune field is located on the floor of Juventae Chasma on Mars as seen by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey. | Context image for PIA08444Dune FieldThis large sand sheet and dune field is located on the floor of Juventae Chasma.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -3.9N, Longitude 299.2E. 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. | |
These images were acquired by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in 2005. The view looks towards the east, covering a large wind-blown ripple called 'Scylla' other nearby ripples and patches of brighter rock strewn with dark cobbles. | Three-image CompositeNavigation Camera ImageFalse Color ImageThese images were acquired by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity using its panoramic camera on sol 644 (Nov. 15, 2005; upper two images) and its navigation camera on sol 645 (Nov. 16, 2005; lower image). The view looks towards the east, covering a large wind-blown ripple called "Scylla" other nearby ripples and patches of brighter rock strewn with dark cobbles. Panoramic camera bands L4 (601-nanometer wavelength), L5 (535 nanometers), and L6 (482 nanometers) correspond to red, green, and blue bands in the false-color image shown in the upper left. The blue-tinted colors associated with the scours and ripple crests are probably due to the presence of basaltic sands mixed with hematite-rich spherules. Color patterns on the larger ripple flanks are caused by different amounts of reddish dust. The larger ripple flanks have an intricate mixture of erosional scours and secondary ripples extending downward from the main ripple crests, suggesting that these ripples have most recently encountered a period of wind erosion and transport of their outer layers. For comparison, the same panoramic camera image is shown here, but in this case rendered as an approximately true-color composite. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows gullies on the north wall of a crater in the Atlantis Chaos region on Mars. | MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-371, 25 May 2003Gullies are common in some regions on middle- and polar-latitude slopes, such as crater walls. This March 2003 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows gullies on the north wall of a crater in the Atlantis Chaos region near 34.3°S, 178.0°W. The gullies might have formed by flow of a fluid--perhaps liquid water--sometime in the geologically recent martian past. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left. | |
Northern Plains | Image PSP_001421_2470 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 15, 2006. The complete image is centered at 66.8 degrees latitude, 153.6 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 314.4 km (196.5 miles). At this distance the image scale is 31.5 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~94 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:07 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 58 degrees, thus the sun was about 32 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 135.6 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows valley floors in the middle latitudes of Mars, particularly in the 'fretted terrain' of northern Arabia Terra which have curious grooved and pitted surfaces. | Valley floors in the middle latitudes, particularly in the "fretted terrain" of northern Arabia Terra (shown here) have curious grooved and pitted surfaces. These features not glaciers and show very little evidence (if any) of flow. Their origin is unknown. MOC image from July 1998. | |
This image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a linear surface texture of the south polar cap on Mars. This texture is described as looking like a thumbprint. | Context imageWhile yesterday's VIS image showed a texture of oval depressions (swiss cheese), today's VIS image shows a linear surface texture of the south polar cap. This texture is described as looking like a thumbprint.Orbit Number: 56378 Latitude: -77.7252 Longitude: 184.825 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2014-08-29 21:37Please 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 more of the extensive lava flows in Daedalia Planum. | Context imageToday's VIS image shows more of the extensive lava flows in Daedalia Planum.Orbit Number: 49177 Latitude: -19.1646 Longitude: 242.039 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2013-01-14 06:05Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
Delta In Eberswalde | This HiRISE image covers a portion of a delta that partially fills Eberswalde crater in Margaritifer Sinus. The delta was first recognized and mapped using MOC images that revealed various features whose presence required sustained flow and deposition into a lake that once occupied the crater. The HiRISE image resolves meter-scale features that record the migration of channels and delta distributaries as the delta grew over time. Differences in grain-size of sediments within the environments on the delta enable differential erosion of the deposits. As a result, coarser channel deposits are slightly more resistant and stand in relief relative to finer-grained over-bank and more easily eroded distal delta deposits. Close examination of the relict channel deposits confirms the presence of some meter-size blocks that were likely too coarse to have been transported by water flowing within the channels. These blocks may be formed of the sand and gravel that more likely moved along the channels that was lithified and eroded. Numerous meter-scale polygonal structures are common on many surfaces, but mostly those associated with more quiescent depositional environments removed from the channels. The polygons could be the result of deposition of fine-grained sediments that were either exposed and desiccated (dried out), rich in clays that shrunk when the water was removed, turned into rock and then fractured and eroded, or some combination of these processes. The center swath is composed of images acquired through red and blue-green filters. The color has been enhanced to better show the subtle color differences. It is not natural color or how it would appear to normal human vision.Image PSP_001336_1560 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 8, 2006. The complete image is centered at -23.8 degrees latitude, 326.4 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 256.3 km (160.2 miles). At this distance the image scale is 25.6 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~77 cm across are resolved. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:35 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 67 degrees, thus the sun was about 23 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 132.4 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer. This image has been rotated so that North is up.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo. | |
The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. This false color image from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows part of Candor Labes. | 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 Candor Labes.Orbit Number: 2163 Latitude: -4.82387 Longitude: 283.299 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2002-06-10 14:31Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
The development of the Mars rover Curiosity's capabilities for drilling into a rock on Mars required years of development work. Seen here are some of the rocks used in bit development testing and lifespan testing at JPL in 2007. | The development of the Mars rover Curiosity's capabilities for drilling into a rock on Mars required years of development work. This is a group photo of some of the rocks used in bit development testing and lifespan testing in 2007, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Most of the holes are the same diameter as holes Curiosity drills: 0.63 inch (1.6 centimeters). Development and testing models of drills for Curiosity have been used on many types of terrestrial rocks over a span of more than five years.JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed and built the rover. More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/. | |
Subtle variations in color look like brush strokes as the lightly frosted terrain reflects light on Mars as seen by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. | Map Projected Browse ImageClick on the image for larger versionSubtle variations in color look like brush strokes as the lightly frosted terrain reflects light. These variations provide a backdrop to some exotic features referred to colloquially as "spiders."The radial channels branching out from a central depression are formed when the seasonal layer of dry ice turns to gas in the spring and erodes the surface, which is a uniquely Martian landform.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. | |
In the bottom half of this image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is a line of small volcanic vents. | Context image In the bottom half of this VIS image is a line of small volcanic vents. These vents emplaced lava to both sides of the vent ridge. The linear contact of dark/bright surface reveals the extent of the vent flows.Orbit Number: 65073 Latitude: -10.2121 Longitude: 226.697 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2016-08-14 22:51Please see the THEMIS Data Citation Note for details on crediting THEMIS images.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. | |
This high-resolution image shows a computer-generated model of Spirit's lander at Gusev Crater as engineers and scientists would have expected to see it from a perfect overhead view. | This high-resolution image shows a computer-generated model of Spirit's lander at Gusev Crater as engineers and scientists would have expected to see it from a perfect overhead view. The background is a reprojected image taken by the Spirit panoramic camera on Sol 19 (Jan. 21-22, 2004). The top of the image faces north.Note: This image has been updated with a much higher resolution version than the original release. | |
Butterfly' ejecta is the name given when a crater has two lobes of ejecta on opposite sides, with little or no ejecta between the lobes. This image is from NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. | Context image"Butterfly" ejecta is the name given when a crater has two lobes of ejecta on opposite sides, with little or no ejecta between the lobes. It is thought that this ejecta pattern is created by a low angle impact. The lack of ejecta indicates the direction of the impact, with the two lobes formed perpendicular to the incoming direction. This VIS image shows half of a crater with "butterfly" ejecta.Orbit Number: 47277 Latitude: 9.25753 Longitude: 279.824 Instrument: VIS Captured: 2012-08-10 23:48Please 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. | |
This image taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey shows Mangala Vallis, one of the large outflow channels on Mars. | Released 28 May 2003Mangala Vallis one of the large outflow channels that channeled large quantities of water into the northern lowlands, long ago on geological timescales. This valley is one of the few in the southern hemisphere, as well as one of the few west of the Tharsis bulge. A closer look at the channel shows more recent weathering of the old water channel: the walls of the channel show small, dark slope streaks that form in dusty areas; and much of the surrounding terrain has subtle linear markings trending from the upper left to the lower right, which are probably features sculpted and streamlined by the wind. Geology still shapes the surface of Mars today, but its methods over the eons have changed.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -6, Longitude 209.6 East (150.4 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. |
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