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Collection:
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NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Martian Sunrise at Utopia Planitia
Title
Martian Sunrise at Utopia Planitia
Title
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Original Caption Released with Image:
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A Martian sunrise was captured in this Viking 2 Lander picture taken June 14, 1978, at the spacecraft's Utopia Planitia landing site. The data composing this image were acquired just as the Sun peaked over the horizon on the Lander's 631st sol (Martian solar day). Pictures taken at dawn (or dusk) are quite dark except where the sky is brightened above the Sun's position. The glow in the sky results as light from the Sun is scattered and preferentially absorbed by tiny particles of dust and ice in the atmosphere. When the Viking cameras are calibrated for darker scenes, the "sky glow" tends to saturate their sensitivity and produce the bright regions seen here. The "banding" and color separation effects are also artifacts, rather than real features, and are introduced because the cameras are not able to record continuous gradations of light. The cameras must represent such gradations in steps (bands) of brightness and color, and the process sometimes produces some "false" colors within the bands. The scattering of light closest to the Sun's position tends to enhance blue wavelengths. The narrowing sky glow nearer the horizon above the Sun's position occurs as a result of light extinction. At that elevation, the optical path of sunlight through the atmosphere is at its longest penetration angle, and a substantial portion of the light is simply prevented from reaching the cameras by the dust, ice particles and other material in its way.
NASA's Langley Research Center was the primary and extended mission manager; JPL assumed management for continued mission operations.
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
A Martian sunrise was captured in this Viking 2 Lander picture taken June 14, 1978, at the spacecraft's Utopia Planitia landing site. The data composing this image were acquired just as the Sun peaked over the horizon on the Lander's 631st sol (Martian solar day). Pictures taken at dawn (or dusk) are quite dark except where the sky is brightened above the Sun's position. The glow in the sky results as light from the Sun is scattered and preferentially absorbed by tiny particles of dust and ice in the atmosphere. When the Viking cameras are calibrated for darker scenes, the "sky glow" tends to saturate their sensitivity and produce the bright regions seen here. The "banding" and color separation effects are also artifacts, rather than real features, and are introduced because the cameras are not able to record continuous gradations of light. The cameras must represent such gradations in steps (bands) of brightness and color, and the process sometimes produces some "false" colors within the bands. The scattering of light closest to the Sun's position tends to enhance blue wavelengths. The narrowing sky glow nearer the horizon above the Sun's position occurs as a result of light extinction. At that elevation, the optical path of sunlight through the atmosphere is at its longest penetration angle, and a substantial portion of the light is simply prevented from reaching the cameras by the dust, ice particles and other material in its way.
NASA's Langley Research Center was the primary and extended mission manager; JPL assumed management for continued mission operations.
Original Caption Released with Image
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Addition Date:
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1997-02-28
Addition_Date
1997-02-28
Addition Date
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Produced By:
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JPL
Produced_By
JPL
Produced By
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Mission:
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Viking
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Spacecraft:
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Viking Lander 2
Spacecraft
Viking Lander 2
Spacecraft
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Target Name:
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Mars
Target_Name
Mars
Target Name
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Is a satellite of:
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Sol (our sun)
Is_a_satellite_of
Sol (our sun)
Is a satellite of
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Instrument:
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Camera 2
Instrument
Camera 2
Instrument
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Product Size:
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745 samples x 330 lines
Product_Size
745 samples x 330 lines
Product Size
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Primary Data Set:
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Viking EDRs
Primary_Data_Set
Viking EDRs
Primary Data Set
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Producer ID:
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P20475
Producer_ID
P20475
Producer ID
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facet_what:
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Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Mars
facet_what
Mars
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Viking
facet_what
Viking
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Dawn
facet_what
Dawn
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Camera 2
facet_what
Camera 2
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Viking 2 Lander
facet_what
Viking 2 Lander
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Mars
facet_where
Mars
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Utopia Planitia, Mars
facet_where
Utopia Planitia, Mars
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Langley Research Center (LaRC)
facet_where
Langley Research Center (LaRC)
facet_where
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facet_when:
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June 14, 1978
facet_when
June 14, 1978
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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1978
facet_when_year
1978
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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PIA00576
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UID:
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SPD-PHOTJ-PIA00576
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA00576
UID
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orignial url:
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orignial_url
orignial url
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