|
Collection:
|
|
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
|
|
Title:
|
|
A Hole in Mars Close Up
Title
A Hole in Mars Close Up
Title
|
|
Explanation:
|
In a close-up [ http://hirise.lpl.a…] from the HiRISE [ http://hirise.lpl.a…] instrument onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, this mysterious dark pit, about 150 meters across, lies on the north slope of ancient martian [ http://www.lukew.co…] volcano Arsia Mons [ http://photojournal…]. Lacking raised rims and other impact crater characteristics, this pit and others like it [ http://mars.jpl.nas…20070921a.html ] were originally identified in visible light and infrared images from the Mars Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. While the visible light images showed only darkness within [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], infrared thermal signatures [ http://www.nasa.gov…cave4.html ] indicated that the openings penetrated deep under the martian surface and perhaps were skylights to underground caverns. In this later image, the pit wall is partially illuminated by sunlight and seen to be nearly vertical, though the bottom, at least 78 meters below, is still not visible. The dark martian pits are thought to be related to collapse pits [ http://hvo.wr.usgs.…devilsthroat.html ] in the lava flow, similar [ http://hvo.wr.usgs.…upper/30424305-044_l arge.jpg ] to Hawaiian volcano pit craters [ http://volcanoes.us…PitCrater.html ].
Explanation
In a close-up [ http://hirise.lpl.a…] from the HiRISE [ http://hirise.lpl.a…] instrument onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, this mysterious dark pit, about 150 meters across, lies on the north slope of ancient martian [ http://www.lukew.co…] volcano Arsia Mons [ http://photojournal…]. Lacking raised rims and other impact crater characteristics, this pit and others like it [ http://mars.jpl.nas…20070921a.html ] were originally identified in visible light and infrared images from the Mars Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. While the visible light images showed only darkness within [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], infrared thermal signatures [ http://www.nasa.gov…cave4.html ] indicated that the openings penetrated deep under the martian surface and perhaps were skylights to underground caverns. In this later image, the pit wall is partially illuminated by sunlight and seen to be nearly vertical, though the bottom, at least 78 meters below, is still not visible. The dark martian pits are thought to be related to collapse pits [ http://hvo.wr.usgs.…devilsthroat.html ] in the lava flow, similar [ http://hvo.wr.usgs.…upper/30424305-044_l arge.jpg ] to Hawaiian volcano pit craters [ http://volcanoes.us…PitCrater.html ]. Explanation
|
|
Credit and Copyright:
|
Credit_and_Copyright
Credit and Copyright
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Mars
facet_where
Mars
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Arizona
facet_where
Arizona
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Mars
facet_what
Mars
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Surveyor
facet_what
Surveyor
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Crater
facet_what
Crater
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Visible Light
facet_what
Visible Light
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
MRO
facet_what
MRO
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter (MGS)
facet_what
Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter (MGS)
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
facet_what
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE)
facet_what
High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE)
facet_what
|
|
original url:
|
original_url
original url
|
|
UID:
|
|
SPD-APOD-ap070928
UID
SPD-APOD-ap070928
UID
|
