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Victoria Crater' at Meridian …
title Victoria Crater' at Meridiani Planum
date 10.06.2006
description This image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows "Victoria crater," an impact crater at Meridiani Planum, near the equator of Mars. The crater is approximately 800 meters (half a mile) in diameter. It has a distinctive scalloped shape to its rim, caused by erosion and downhill movement of crater wall material. Layered sedimentary rocks are exposed along the inner wall of the crater, and boulders that have fallen from the crater wall are visible on the crater floor. The floor of the crater is occupied by a striking field of sand dunes. Since January 2004, the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been operating at Meridiani Planum. Five days before this image was taken, Opportunity arrived at the rim of Victoria crater, after a drive of more than 9 kilometers (over 5 miles). The rover can be seen in this image, at roughly the "ten o'clock" position along the rim of the crater. This view is a portion of an image taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on Oct. 3, 2006. The complete image is centered at minus7.8 degrees latitude, 279.5 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 297 kilometers (185.6 miles). At this distance the image scale is 29.7 centimeters (12 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects about 89 centimeters (35 inches) across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 centimeters (10 inches) per pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:30 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 59.7 degrees, thus the sun was about 30.3 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 113.6 degrees, the season on Mars is northern summer. This is an enhanced-color view generated from images acquired by the HiRISE camera using its red filter and blue-green filter. Images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment and additional information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are available online at: http://www.nasa.gov/mroor http://HiRISE.lpl.arizona.edu. For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov. JPL, 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 is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/UA
Persistent Saturnian Auroras
Title Persistent Saturnian Auroras
Explanation Are Saturn's auroras like Earth's? To help answer this question, the Hubble Space Telescope [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010806.html ] and the Cassini spacecraft [ http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/overview/mission.cfm ] monitored Saturn's South Pole simultaneously as Cassini closed in [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040301.html ] on the gas giant in January 2004. Hubble snapped images in ultraviolet light [ http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/ems/uv.html ], while Cassini recorded radio emissions [ http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/radio.htm ] and monitored the solar wind [ http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/sun/wind.html ]. Like on Earth, Saturn's auroras [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050219.html ] make total or partial rings [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970402.html ] around magnetic pole [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040919.html ]s. Unlike on Earth, however, Saturn's auroras [ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/2005/06/text/ ] persist for days, as opposed to only minutes on Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020101.html ]. Although surely created by charged particles [ http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/Ielect.html ] entering the atmosphere, Saturn's auroras [ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=2004AGUFM.P53B..01C ] also appear to be more closely modulated by the solar wind [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000318.html ] than either Earth's or Jupiter's auroras [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001219.html ]. The above sequence [ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/2005/06/image/ ] shows three Hubble images of Saturn [ http://www.nineplanets.org/saturn.html ] each taken two days apart.
Description Browse Image | Medium Image (129 kB) | Large (20.4 MB) Hi-Res (NASA's Planetary Photojournal) [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA08813 ]
2 Years on Mars! Meridiani P …
PIA03691
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title 2 Years on Mars! Meridiani Planum Features Investigated by the Rover, Opportunity
Original Caption Released with Image 24 January 2006 Two years ago, the Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, landed on Meridiani Planum. The rover marked its first Mars-year (687 Earth Days) anniversary in December 2005. Two pictures are shown here: the one on the right is the same as that on the left, except that key features have been labeled. Both pictures include a colored portion -- a 3-d (stereo) anaglyph which can be viewed using "3-d" glasses with a red left eye and a blue right eye. Figures 2 and 3 are MOC narrow angle non-stereo images. During the landing in January 2004, rockets were fired to slow the final descent, just before the inflated airbags (containing the folded-up lander and rover) were released. The rockets disturbed the sandy surface at the location labeled "blast effects." Following release, the airbags bounced and rolled until coming to rest inside Eagle Crater. The lander, in fact, can be seen as a bright spot near the center of Eagle Crater. Meanwhile, the jettisoned parachute and backshell landed to the southwest of Eagle, and the heatshield fell just southwest of Endurance Crater. Opportunity initially examined sedimentary rock outcrops and sandy, windblown regolith within Eagle Crater. Then it was driven by the rover team out of Eagle and on into Endurance Crater. By the end of 2004, Opportunity had left Endurance and was investigating the site where the heatshield impacted the surface. After that, the rover spent much of the year 2005 driving from the heatshield location down to the shallow Erebus Crater. Long-term plans call for driving Opportunity from Erebus to Victoria Crater, where a substantially thicker sequence of layered rock is expected to be found, relative to previous outcrops examined in the craters Endurance and Eagle. "Location near": 2.0°S, 5.6°W "Image width": 300 m scale bar = 984 ft "Illumination from": left
2 Years on Mars! Meridiani P …
PIA03691
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title 2 Years on Mars! Meridiani Planum Features Investigated by the Rover, Opportunity
Original Caption Released with Image 24 January 2006 Two years ago, the Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, landed on Meridiani Planum. The rover marked its first Mars-year (687 Earth Days) anniversary in December 2005. Two pictures are shown here: the one on the right is the same as that on the left, except that key features have been labeled. Both pictures include a colored portion -- a 3-d (stereo) anaglyph which can be viewed using "3-d" glasses with a red left eye and a blue right eye. Figures 2 and 3 are MOC narrow angle non-stereo images. During the landing in January 2004, rockets were fired to slow the final descent, just before the inflated airbags (containing the folded-up lander and rover) were released. The rockets disturbed the sandy surface at the location labeled "blast effects." Following release, the airbags bounced and rolled until coming to rest inside Eagle Crater. The lander, in fact, can be seen as a bright spot near the center of Eagle Crater. Meanwhile, the jettisoned parachute and backshell landed to the southwest of Eagle, and the heatshield fell just southwest of Endurance Crater. Opportunity initially examined sedimentary rock outcrops and sandy, windblown regolith within Eagle Crater. Then it was driven by the rover team out of Eagle and on into Endurance Crater. By the end of 2004, Opportunity had left Endurance and was investigating the site where the heatshield impacted the surface. After that, the rover spent much of the year 2005 driving from the heatshield location down to the shallow Erebus Crater. Long-term plans call for driving Opportunity from Erebus to Victoria Crater, where a substantially thicker sequence of layered rock is expected to be found, relative to previous outcrops examined in the craters Endurance and Eagle. "Location near": 2.0°S, 5.6°W "Image width": 300 m scale bar = 984 ft "Illumination from": left
2 Years on Mars! Meridiani P …
PIA03691
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title 2 Years on Mars! Meridiani Planum Features Investigated by the Rover, Opportunity
Original Caption Released with Image 24 January 2006 Two years ago, the Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, landed on Meridiani Planum. The rover marked its first Mars-year (687 Earth Days) anniversary in December 2005. Two pictures are shown here: the one on the right is the same as that on the left, except that key features have been labeled. Both pictures include a colored portion -- a 3-d (stereo) anaglyph which can be viewed using "3-d" glasses with a red left eye and a blue right eye. Figures 2 and 3 are MOC narrow angle non-stereo images. During the landing in January 2004, rockets were fired to slow the final descent, just before the inflated airbags (containing the folded-up lander and rover) were released. The rockets disturbed the sandy surface at the location labeled "blast effects." Following release, the airbags bounced and rolled until coming to rest inside Eagle Crater. The lander, in fact, can be seen as a bright spot near the center of Eagle Crater. Meanwhile, the jettisoned parachute and backshell landed to the southwest of Eagle, and the heatshield fell just southwest of Endurance Crater. Opportunity initially examined sedimentary rock outcrops and sandy, windblown regolith within Eagle Crater. Then it was driven by the rover team out of Eagle and on into Endurance Crater. By the end of 2004, Opportunity had left Endurance and was investigating the site where the heatshield impacted the surface. After that, the rover spent much of the year 2005 driving from the heatshield location down to the shallow Erebus Crater. Long-term plans call for driving Opportunity from Erebus to Victoria Crater, where a substantially thicker sequence of layered rock is expected to be found, relative to previous outcrops examined in the craters Endurance and Eagle. "Location near": 2.0°S, 5.6°W "Image width": 300 m scale bar = 984 ft "Illumination from": left
2 Years on Mars! Meridiani P …
PIA03691
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title 2 Years on Mars! Meridiani Planum Features Investigated by the Rover, Opportunity
Original Caption Released with Image 24 January 2006 Two years ago, the Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, landed on Meridiani Planum. The rover marked its first Mars-year (687 Earth Days) anniversary in December 2005. Two pictures are shown here: the one on the right is the same as that on the left, except that key features have been labeled. Both pictures include a colored portion -- a 3-d (stereo) anaglyph which can be viewed using "3-d" glasses with a red left eye and a blue right eye. Figures 2 and 3 are MOC narrow angle non-stereo images. During the landing in January 2004, rockets were fired to slow the final descent, just before the inflated airbags (containing the folded-up lander and rover) were released. The rockets disturbed the sandy surface at the location labeled "blast effects." Following release, the airbags bounced and rolled until coming to rest inside Eagle Crater. The lander, in fact, can be seen as a bright spot near the center of Eagle Crater. Meanwhile, the jettisoned parachute and backshell landed to the southwest of Eagle, and the heatshield fell just southwest of Endurance Crater. Opportunity initially examined sedimentary rock outcrops and sandy, windblown regolith within Eagle Crater. Then it was driven by the rover team out of Eagle and on into Endurance Crater. By the end of 2004, Opportunity had left Endurance and was investigating the site where the heatshield impacted the surface. After that, the rover spent much of the year 2005 driving from the heatshield location down to the shallow Erebus Crater. Long-term plans call for driving Opportunity from Erebus to Victoria Crater, where a substantially thicker sequence of layered rock is expected to be found, relative to previous outcrops examined in the craters Endurance and Eagle. "Location near": 2.0°S, 5.6°W "Image width": 300 m scale bar = 984 ft "Illumination from": left
A Dynamic Spirit Site
PIA05122
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title A Dynamic Spirit Site
Original Caption Released with Image 5 January 2004 Two Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images acquired before the spectacular January 2004 landing of the Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A), Spirit, show the area where the lander is currently believed to have touched down. The identification of the area shown in the two pictures above is based on the pictures acquired by Spirit's descent imaging system just before landing. The lower picture was obtained by MGS MOC on 22 July 2003, the upper picture was acquired less than a month ago on 10 December 2003. What is exciting about these two pictures is the differences in the patterns of dark, squiggly streaks. These streaks are believed to have been caused by the removal of bright dust by large, passing dust devils. Comparison of the picture from July 2003 with that of December 2003 show that a different dark streak pattern developed over a period of less than 5 months. These two MOC images suggest that the landing site is a dynamic, changing place on the time scale of several months. MGS MOC has never seen a dust devil occur in Gusev Crater [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA0PIA05119 ], the location of the Spirit landing site [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA0PIA05120 ]. MGS always flies over Gusev around 2 p.m. local time, so this means that dust devils are not believed to be common around 2 p.m. However, the changes in the dark streaks suggest that dust devils definitely have occurred in Gusev Crater over the past 5 to 6 months, and they most likely occur earlier than 2 p.m. (perhaps closer to local 1 p.m. or noon). These two MOC images are simple cylindrical map projections (rotated somewhat, note the north arrow, N) at a scale of about 3 meters per pixel (~10 ft/pixel), the 300 meter scale bar is about two-tenths of a mile long. The images are located near 14.7°S, 184.6°W, and are illuminated from the left.
Locating Landers on Mars
PIA05121
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Locating Landers on Mars
Original Caption Released with Image 4 January 2004 In 2003, a new technique was pioneered by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) experiment to allow the camera to obtain images with better than 1 meter (~ 3 ft) per pixel resolution. By pitching the spacecraft at a rate faster than the spacecraft moves in its orbit around Mars, MOC is able to obtain pictures with a down-track resolution of about 50 cm/pixel (~20 inches/pixel), although the cross-track resolution remains ~1.5 m/pixel (5 ft/pixel). One of the key goals of this image motion compensation (IMC) technique is to be able to image landers, such as the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, on the martian surface. The two pictures shown here were acquired during the IMC testing in 2003. The first shows the location of the Mars Pathfinder lander (MPF) and the nearby boulder, Yogi. The second image shows the location of the Viking 1 (VL-1) lander. These locations were determined by using sight lines from the landers to near and far objects seen in the pictures acquired by the landers, and then matching these to locations in earlier, 1.5 to 3.0 m/pixel MOC images. Then, the IMC images, shown here, were acquired by MGS so that the actual landers, sitting on the martian surface, might be resolved. This technique only works well when the location of the lander is already fairly-well established. It would be extremely difficult to find a lander for which the location is uncertain, such as Viking 2 or Mars Polar Lander (in fact, for Mars Polar Lander, it would take over 60 years to map out the entire landing ellipse in which the spacecraft was lost). The two images shown here are illuminated from the left and show areas only a few hundred meters across. More information about how MGS MOC will be used to help locate the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, can be found by visiting: Finding MERs [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/finding_mer/ ].
Galle Crater Dunes
PIA05123
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Galle Crater Dunes
Original Caption Released with Image 6 January 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows sand dunes in southern Galle Crater, east of Argyre Planitia. The sand that comprises these dunes, like other dunes on Mars, is dark, but at the time this picture was acquired during early southern summer, the dunes were covered with a coating of bright dust. Occasional, passing dust devils or wind gusts created the dark streaks seen on a few of the dunes. The dunes are located near 51.9°S, 31.2°W. The image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide, sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left.
Mars Exploration Rover (MER- …
PIA05120
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A) Spirit Landing Site
Original Caption Released with Image January 2004 Excitement builds as the first Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A), Spirit, prepares to land on Mars just after 8:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time today, 3 January 2004 (04:35, 4 January 2004 UTC). Today's Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture is a mosaic of MOC images of the Spirit landing site. The rover is expected to land somewhere within the approximately 83 km (~52 mi) long by ~10 km (~6 mi) wide ellipse on the floor of Gusev Crater [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05119 ]. Clicking on the image above will show a map of the landing site at 25 meters (82 feet) per pixel. MOC has acquired 71 pictures of the landing site over a period spanning 3 Mars years (from July 1999 through December 2003), and more than 85 pictures were acquired within Gusev Crater specifically to support the Mars Exploration Rover landing site selection process. These pictures were acquired not only in different years, but in different seasons, so the illumination angle, overall brightness, and patterns of ephemeral, dark dust devil streaks and wind streaks are different from image to image within the mosaic. In areas where no MOC coverage exists, gaps were filled using images from the Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) visible imager, a lower-resolution camera built by Malin Space Science Systems and operated by Arizona State University. The Gusev Crater landing ellipse is centered near 14.8°S, 184.8°W. Sunlight illuminates each image in the mosaic from the left (in some cases, upper left, in others, lower left). Spirit will land at about 2 p.m. local time on Mars. At the same time, Mars Global Surveyor will pass over the site and listen for a transmission of Spirit's entry, descent, and landing data. These data will be relayed back to Earth by the MOC. For more information about the Mars Exploration Rovers, visit NASA/JPL's Mars Exploration Program Web site [ http://marsweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ]. For more information about the work that Malin Space Science Systems and MGS MOC are doing in support of the rover missions, see: http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/ [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/ ]. For information about how MSSS will use this mosaic of the landing site to help find Spirit after it touches down, see Finding MERs [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/finding_mer/ ].
Gusev Crater
PIA05119
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Gusev Crater
Original Caption Released with Image 2 January 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) wide angle image shows the crater in which the Mars Exploration Rover, Spirit, is scheduled to land on 4 January 2004 (around 8:35 p.m., 3 January 2004, Pacific Standard Time). The white ellipse marks the approximate location of Spirit's landing zone. Gusev Crater is about 165 km (103 mi) across. The valley that enters Gusev from the south-southeast (bottom/lower right) is named Ma'adim Vallis. The dark areas on the floor of Gusev, when viewed at higher resolution, are found to be surfaces from which dust devils and wind gusts have removed or disrupted the fine, bright dust that otherwise blankets the crater floor. This image, acquired in November 2003, is located near 14.5°S, 184.6°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.
White Rock" of Pollack Crate …
PIA05118
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title White Rock" of Pollack Crater
Original Caption Released with Image 1 January 2004 The famous "White Rock" of Pollack Crater has been known for three decades, it was originally found in images acquired by the Mariner 9 spacecraft in 1972. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) close-up view, obtained in October 2003, shows some of the light-toned, wind-eroded sedimentary rock that makes up "White Rock." It is not actually white, except when viewed in a processed, grayscale image (in color, it is more of a light butterscotch to pinkish material). The sediment that comprises "White Rock" was deposited in Pollack Crater a long time ago, perhaps billions of years ago, the material was later eroded by wind. Dark, windblown ripples are present throughout the scene. This picture is located near 8.2°S, 335.1°W, and covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.
Tractus Fossae Pit Chain
PIA05257
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Tractus Fossae Pit Chain
Original Caption Released with Image 29 January 2004 This January 2004 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a chain of pits formed in a trough of the Tractus Fossae region near 24.1°N, 103.4°W. The troughs are graben, which are formed by faults cutting rock as the crust is stretched and extended, in this case toward the east and toward the west (right and left). As the rocks broke and moved along the fault lines that create the sharp cliffs on either side of the troughs, some materials between the trough walls collapsed along the fault trend to form the chain of pits. The picture covers an area approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) wide, sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.
Summer South Polar Cap
PIA05253
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Summer South Polar Cap
Original Caption Released with Image 26 January 2004 This January 2004 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows what the martian south polar residual cap looks like in the middle of summer. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the top/upper left. The picture shows mesas composed of frozen carbon dioxide, each about 2-5 meters (6-16 ft.) high. Sunlight has darkened the slopes around the mesas as carbon dioxide sublimes away throughout the summer. The image is located near 86.2°S, 351.4°W, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi.) wide.
Daedalia Wind Streak
PIA05246
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Daedalia Wind Streak
Original Caption Released with Image 21 January 2004 This January 2004 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a dark wind streak in the lee of a small meteor impact crater in Daedalia Planum. The dominant winds responsible for this streak blew from the east (right). This picture is located near 17.1°S, 138.8°W, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the left.
Mars Exploration Rover (MER- …
PIA05251
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Mars Exploration Rover (MER-B) Opportunity Landing Site
Original Caption Released with Image 1, Viking 2, Mars Pathfinder, and Spirit sites. Sunlight illuminates the wide and narrow angle views, and each image in the mosaic, from the left. The THEMIS instrument is operated by a team at Arizona State University, [ http://themis.asu.edu/ ] the THEMIS-VIS camera was built by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS), [ http://www.msss.com/press_releases/vismoc/ ] which also operates the MGS MOC. Opportunity will land in the mid-afternoon, local time, on Mars. At the same time, Mars Global Surveyor will pass over the site and listen for a transmission of Opportunity's entry, descent, and landing data. These data will be relayed back to Earth by the MOC. For more information about the Mars Exploration Rovers, visit NASA/JPL's Mars Exploration Program Web site. [ http://marsweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] For more information about the work that Malin Space Science Systems and MGS MOC are doing in support of the rover missions, see: http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/ [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/ ]. For information about how MSSS will use this mosaic of the landing site to help find Opportunity after it touches down, see Finding MERs [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/finding_mer/ ]. MER landing site weather reports are located at: http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/mer_weather/. [ http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/mer_weather/ ], Mosaic (Click on image for larger view) Wide Angle View (Click on image for larger view), Narrow Angle View (Click on image for larger view) 24 January 2004 The second Mars Exploration Rover (MER-B), Opportunity, is set to land on Mars around 9:05 p.m. Pacific Standard Time today, 24 January 2004 (25 January 2004 UTC). Above are shown three perspectives on the Opportunity landing site, which is an ellipse in Meridiani Planum approximately 87 km (54 mi) long by 11 km (6.8 mi) wide. All images are oriented with north up and east to the right. The lander will be coming through the atmosphere from the west/southwest, roughly following the long axis of the ellipse. It is most likely to touch down somewhere near the center of the ellipse. The first image (top) is a mosaic of MGS MOC and Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System visible images (THEMIS-VIS). The THEMIS-VIS instrument provides pictures with a spatial resolution of 18 meters per pixel (~59 ft/pixel), the MOC images used in the mosaic have resolutions ranging from 1.4 m/pixel to 12 m/pixel. A total of 15 THEMIS-VIS images were used to form the background, on which 61 MOC high resolution images were mosaiced. These data were acquired over a period spanning parts of 3 Mars years between April 1999 through January 2004. These pictures were acquired not only in different years, but in different seasons, so the illumination angle, overall brightness, and patterns of ephemeral windblown dust and, in some cases, dark dust devil streaks, are different from image to image within the mosaic. The second image (middle) is a Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) red wide angle view obtained in November 2003 as part of an on-going effort to monitor the weather at the landing site. The wide angle view provides a sense of the regional context. The third image (bottom) is a 1.8 m/pixel (6 ft/pixel) view near the center of the landing ellipse. It was also acquired by MOC in November 2003, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. The light-toned, somewhat circular features are believed to be either the location of ancient, buried, nearly-filled meteor impact craters or the eroded remains of craters that formed in bedrock that has long since been removed from the region. The Opportunity landing site in Meridiani Planum was selected to provide access, it is hoped, to materials bearing the iron oxide mineral, hematite. Hematite was detected in this region by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) on MGS. This mineral is suspected of providing a clue that liquid water may have once played a role in the region. The dark-toned materials of Meridiani Planum cover a lighter-toned substrate that may consist of layered rock. Small ridges have formed in the dark material in some parts of the landing ellipse, but no one will know until the first images are returned, exactly what features will be present at the Opportunity site. One thing is certain: no previous Mars lander has ever gone to a setting like Meridiani Planum. The landscape is almost certain to be different than the Viking
Mars Exploration Rover (MER- …
PIA05251
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Mars Exploration Rover (MER-B) Opportunity Landing Site
Original Caption Released with Image 1, Viking 2, Mars Pathfinder, and Spirit sites. Sunlight illuminates the wide and narrow angle views, and each image in the mosaic, from the left. The THEMIS instrument is operated by a team at Arizona State University, [ http://themis.asu.edu/ ] the THEMIS-VIS camera was built by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS), [ http://www.msss.com/press_releases/vismoc/ ] which also operates the MGS MOC. Opportunity will land in the mid-afternoon, local time, on Mars. At the same time, Mars Global Surveyor will pass over the site and listen for a transmission of Opportunity's entry, descent, and landing data. These data will be relayed back to Earth by the MOC. For more information about the Mars Exploration Rovers, visit NASA/JPL's Mars Exploration Program Web site. [ http://marsweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] For more information about the work that Malin Space Science Systems and MGS MOC are doing in support of the rover missions, see: http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/ [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/ ]. For information about how MSSS will use this mosaic of the landing site to help find Opportunity after it touches down, see Finding MERs [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/finding_mer/ ]. MER landing site weather reports are located at: http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/mer_weather/. [ http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/mer_weather/ ], Mosaic (Click on image for larger view) Wide Angle View (Click on image for larger view), Narrow Angle View (Click on image for larger view) 24 January 2004 The second Mars Exploration Rover (MER-B), Opportunity, is set to land on Mars around 9:05 p.m. Pacific Standard Time today, 24 January 2004 (25 January 2004 UTC). Above are shown three perspectives on the Opportunity landing site, which is an ellipse in Meridiani Planum approximately 87 km (54 mi) long by 11 km (6.8 mi) wide. All images are oriented with north up and east to the right. The lander will be coming through the atmosphere from the west/southwest, roughly following the long axis of the ellipse. It is most likely to touch down somewhere near the center of the ellipse. The first image (top) is a mosaic of MGS MOC and Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System visible images (THEMIS-VIS). The THEMIS-VIS instrument provides pictures with a spatial resolution of 18 meters per pixel (~59 ft/pixel), the MOC images used in the mosaic have resolutions ranging from 1.4 m/pixel to 12 m/pixel. A total of 15 THEMIS-VIS images were used to form the background, on which 61 MOC high resolution images were mosaiced. These data were acquired over a period spanning parts of 3 Mars years between April 1999 through January 2004. These pictures were acquired not only in different years, but in different seasons, so the illumination angle, overall brightness, and patterns of ephemeral windblown dust and, in some cases, dark dust devil streaks, are different from image to image within the mosaic. The second image (middle) is a Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) red wide angle view obtained in November 2003 as part of an on-going effort to monitor the weather at the landing site. The wide angle view provides a sense of the regional context. The third image (bottom) is a 1.8 m/pixel (6 ft/pixel) view near the center of the landing ellipse. It was also acquired by MOC in November 2003, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. The light-toned, somewhat circular features are believed to be either the location of ancient, buried, nearly-filled meteor impact craters or the eroded remains of craters that formed in bedrock that has long since been removed from the region. The Opportunity landing site in Meridiani Planum was selected to provide access, it is hoped, to materials bearing the iron oxide mineral, hematite. Hematite was detected in this region by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) on MGS. This mineral is suspected of providing a clue that liquid water may have once played a role in the region. The dark-toned materials of Meridiani Planum cover a lighter-toned substrate that may consist of layered rock. Small ridges have formed in the dark material in some parts of the landing ellipse, but no one will know until the first images are returned, exactly what features will be present at the Opportunity site. One thing is certain: no previous Mars lander has ever gone to a setting like Meridiani Planum. The landscape is almost certain to be different than the Viking
Mars Exploration Rover (MER- …
PIA05251
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Mars Exploration Rover (MER-B) Opportunity Landing Site
Original Caption Released with Image 1, Viking 2, Mars Pathfinder, and Spirit sites. Sunlight illuminates the wide and narrow angle views, and each image in the mosaic, from the left. The THEMIS instrument is operated by a team at Arizona State University, [ http://themis.asu.edu/ ] the THEMIS-VIS camera was built by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS), [ http://www.msss.com/press_releases/vismoc/ ] which also operates the MGS MOC. Opportunity will land in the mid-afternoon, local time, on Mars. At the same time, Mars Global Surveyor will pass over the site and listen for a transmission of Opportunity's entry, descent, and landing data. These data will be relayed back to Earth by the MOC. For more information about the Mars Exploration Rovers, visit NASA/JPL's Mars Exploration Program Web site. [ http://marsweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] For more information about the work that Malin Space Science Systems and MGS MOC are doing in support of the rover missions, see: http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/ [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/ ]. For information about how MSSS will use this mosaic of the landing site to help find Opportunity after it touches down, see Finding MERs [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/finding_mer/ ]. MER landing site weather reports are located at: http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/mer_weather/. [ http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/mer_weather/ ], Mosaic (Click on image for larger view) Wide Angle View (Click on image for larger view), Narrow Angle View (Click on image for larger view) 24 January 2004 The second Mars Exploration Rover (MER-B), Opportunity, is set to land on Mars around 9:05 p.m. Pacific Standard Time today, 24 January 2004 (25 January 2004 UTC). Above are shown three perspectives on the Opportunity landing site, which is an ellipse in Meridiani Planum approximately 87 km (54 mi) long by 11 km (6.8 mi) wide. All images are oriented with north up and east to the right. The lander will be coming through the atmosphere from the west/southwest, roughly following the long axis of the ellipse. It is most likely to touch down somewhere near the center of the ellipse. The first image (top) is a mosaic of MGS MOC and Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System visible images (THEMIS-VIS). The THEMIS-VIS instrument provides pictures with a spatial resolution of 18 meters per pixel (~59 ft/pixel), the MOC images used in the mosaic have resolutions ranging from 1.4 m/pixel to 12 m/pixel. A total of 15 THEMIS-VIS images were used to form the background, on which 61 MOC high resolution images were mosaiced. These data were acquired over a period spanning parts of 3 Mars years between April 1999 through January 2004. These pictures were acquired not only in different years, but in different seasons, so the illumination angle, overall brightness, and patterns of ephemeral windblown dust and, in some cases, dark dust devil streaks, are different from image to image within the mosaic. The second image (middle) is a Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) red wide angle view obtained in November 2003 as part of an on-going effort to monitor the weather at the landing site. The wide angle view provides a sense of the regional context. The third image (bottom) is a 1.8 m/pixel (6 ft/pixel) view near the center of the landing ellipse. It was also acquired by MOC in November 2003, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. The light-toned, somewhat circular features are believed to be either the location of ancient, buried, nearly-filled meteor impact craters or the eroded remains of craters that formed in bedrock that has long since been removed from the region. The Opportunity landing site in Meridiani Planum was selected to provide access, it is hoped, to materials bearing the iron oxide mineral, hematite. Hematite was detected in this region by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) on MGS. This mineral is suspected of providing a clue that liquid water may have once played a role in the region. The dark-toned materials of Meridiani Planum cover a lighter-toned substrate that may consist of layered rock. Small ridges have formed in the dark material in some parts of the landing ellipse, but no one will know until the first images are returned, exactly what features will be present at the Opportunity site. One thing is certain: no previous Mars lander has ever gone to a setting like Meridiani Planum. The landscape is almost certain to be different than the Viking
Mars Exploration Rover (MER- …
PIA05251
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Mars Exploration Rover (MER-B) Opportunity Landing Site
Original Caption Released with Image 1, Viking 2, Mars Pathfinder, and Spirit sites. Sunlight illuminates the wide and narrow angle views, and each image in the mosaic, from the left. The THEMIS instrument is operated by a team at Arizona State University, [ http://themis.asu.edu/ ] the THEMIS-VIS camera was built by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS), [ http://www.msss.com/press_releases/vismoc/ ] which also operates the MGS MOC. Opportunity will land in the mid-afternoon, local time, on Mars. At the same time, Mars Global Surveyor will pass over the site and listen for a transmission of Opportunity's entry, descent, and landing data. These data will be relayed back to Earth by the MOC. For more information about the Mars Exploration Rovers, visit NASA/JPL's Mars Exploration Program Web site. [ http://marsweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] For more information about the work that Malin Space Science Systems and MGS MOC are doing in support of the rover missions, see: http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/ [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/ ]. For information about how MSSS will use this mosaic of the landing site to help find Opportunity after it touches down, see Finding MERs [ http://www.msss.com/mer_mission/finding_mer/ ]. MER landing site weather reports are located at: http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/mer_weather/. [ http://www.msss.com/mars_images/moc/mer_weather/ ], Mosaic (Click on image for larger view) Wide Angle View (Click on image for larger view), Narrow Angle View (Click on image for larger view) 24 January 2004 The second Mars Exploration Rover (MER-B), Opportunity, is set to land on Mars around 9:05 p.m. Pacific Standard Time today, 24 January 2004 (25 January 2004 UTC). Above are shown three perspectives on the Opportunity landing site, which is an ellipse in Meridiani Planum approximately 87 km (54 mi) long by 11 km (6.8 mi) wide. All images are oriented with north up and east to the right. The lander will be coming through the atmosphere from the west/southwest, roughly following the long axis of the ellipse. It is most likely to touch down somewhere near the center of the ellipse. The first image (top) is a mosaic of MGS MOC and Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System visible images (THEMIS-VIS). The THEMIS-VIS instrument provides pictures with a spatial resolution of 18 meters per pixel (~59 ft/pixel), the MOC images used in the mosaic have resolutions ranging from 1.4 m/pixel to 12 m/pixel. A total of 15 THEMIS-VIS images were used to form the background, on which 61 MOC high resolution images were mosaiced. These data were acquired over a period spanning parts of 3 Mars years between April 1999 through January 2004. These pictures were acquired not only in different years, but in different seasons, so the illumination angle, overall brightness, and patterns of ephemeral windblown dust and, in some cases, dark dust devil streaks, are different from image to image within the mosaic. The second image (middle) is a Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) red wide angle view obtained in November 2003 as part of an on-going effort to monitor the weather at the landing site. The wide angle view provides a sense of the regional context. The third image (bottom) is a 1.8 m/pixel (6 ft/pixel) view near the center of the landing ellipse. It was also acquired by MOC in November 2003, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. The light-toned, somewhat circular features are believed to be either the location of ancient, buried, nearly-filled meteor impact craters or the eroded remains of craters that formed in bedrock that has long since been removed from the region. The Opportunity landing site in Meridiani Planum was selected to provide access, it is hoped, to materials bearing the iron oxide mineral, hematite. Hematite was detected in this region by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) on MGS. This mineral is suspected of providing a clue that liquid water may have once played a role in the region. The dark-toned materials of Meridiani Planum cover a lighter-toned substrate that may consist of layered rock. Small ridges have formed in the dark material in some parts of the landing ellipse, but no one will know until the first images are returned, exactly what features will be present at the Opportunity site. One thing is certain: no previous Mars lander has ever gone to a setting like Meridiani Planum. The landscape is almost certain to be different than the Viking
Layers in Crater Wall
PIA05247
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Layers in Crater Wall
Original Caption Released with Image 22 January 2004 This January 2004 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows three distinct bands of layered material exposed in the wall of a south, middle-latitude meteor impact crater wall. Talus--debris shed from erosion of the wall--has piled up on the slopes below the layered outcrop. This picture is located near 45.5°S, 85.9°W, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the right/lower right.
Mid-Latitude Gullies
PIA05643
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Mid-Latitude Gullies
Original Caption Released with Image 17 March 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows gullies in the wall of a crater near 39.1°S, 200.7°W. Discussion among Mars scientists as to how martian middle-and polar-latitude gullies formed continues to this day. They were first observed in MGS MOC images and reported in June 2000. Most investigators agree that gullies, such as those shown here, were formed by running water, but disagree on whether the liquid came from snowmelt, groundwater, or melting ground ice. Still others argue that the fluid was carbon dioxide, and a few suggest that the gullies formed "dry"--that is, by landsliding processes involving no liquid or gas. This January 2004 MOC full-resolution (1.5 m/pixel, 5 ft./pixel) image is illuminated by sunlight from the upper left. The 300 m scale bar is approximately 984 ft. long.
Apollinaris, Gusev, and Spir …
PIA06849
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Apollinaris, Gusev, and Spirit
Original Caption Released with Image 3 September 2004 On 3 September 2004, the 28th anniversary of the Viking 2 landing on Mars, we take a look back only 9 months at another place where a U.S. spacecraft landed on the red planet. This oblique red wide angle camera image obtained by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) shows the proximity of the Mars Exploration Rover (MER-A), Spirit, landing site in Gusev Crater to the martian volcano, Apollinaris Patera. The January 2004 Spirit landing site is indicated by the white circle at the bottom (south end) of the image. The volcano covers most of the upper (northern) half of the picture. The volcano's summit depression, or "caldera" is about 73 kilometers (~45 miles) across. This perspective view was obtained in June 2004 by MOC as MGS was beginning to roll so as to point the camera at a target located further north. The Spirit landing site is located near 14.8°S, 184.6°W. Sunlight illuminates this scene from the upper left.
Pedestal Crater
PIA07202
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Pedestal Crater
Original Caption Released with Image 5 January 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an impact crater, a little over 2 km (> 1.2 mi) in diameter, located in Noachis Terra near 50.4°S, 14.3°W. The crater's bouldery ejecta blanket has protected underlying material from being eroded away by wind, leaving the ejecta up on a low pedestal. This picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across, and is illuminated by sunlight from the upper left.
Martian Sand Dunes
PIA07203
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Martian Sand Dunes
Original Caption Released with Image 6 January 2004 The north polar cap of Mars is nearly surrounded by fields of dark, windblown sand dunes. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an example located near 73.5°N, 75.0°W. The orientation of these dunes indicate that the dominant winds--particularly those that occur during storms--come from the upper left (northwest). The picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across, and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left.
Mars at Ls 145°: Tharsis
PIA07198
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Mars at Ls 145°: Tharsis
Original Caption Released with Image 4 January 2004 This picture is a composite of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) daily global images acquired at Ls 145° during a previous Mars year. This month, Mars looks similar, as Ls 145° occurs in mid-January 2005. This picture shows the Tharsis face of Mars. Over the course of the month, additional faces of Mars as it appears at this time of year are being posted for MOC Picture of the Day. Ls, solar longitude, is a measure of the time of year on Mars. Mars travels 360° around the Sun in 1 Mars year. The year begins at Ls 0°--the start of northern spring and southern summer. In January 2005, it is northern summer and southern winter. The seasons on Mars occur according to Ls, described in the following table:
West of Meridiani
PIA07215
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title West of Meridiani
Original Caption Released with Image 7 January 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an eroded landscape occurring west of Sinus Meridiani, the region in which the Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, landed nearly a year ago. The bedrock at this location is buried beneath a mantle of dust, sand, and granules, but remnants of younger layers of bedrock now stand high in the form of buttes in the lower right quarter of the image. The two circular mesas were once meteor impact craters. They were filled, buried, and fossilized within the rock, then later exhumed. This scene is located near 1.5°N, 6.2°W. The picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across, and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left.
North Polar Layers
PIA07197
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title North Polar Layers
Original Caption Released with Image 2 January 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a depression eroded into north polar layered materials located near 86.1°N, 30.8°W. The layers in the north polar region have been considered for more than 30 years to be composed of dust and ice, although this cannot be confirmed without sending a person or robot to investigate. This picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left.
Tikhonravov's Eyebrows
PIA07196
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Tikhonravov's Eyebrows
Original Caption Released with Image 1 January 2004 This red wide angle Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows Tikhonravov Crater in central Arabia Terra. The crater is about 386 km (240 mi) in diameter and presents two impact craters at its center that have dark patches of sand in them, giving the impression of pupils in two eyes. North (above) each of these two craters lies a dark-toned patch of surface material, providing the impression of eyebrows. M. K. Tikhonravov was a leading Russian rocket engineer in the 20th Century. The crater named for him, despite its large size, is still partly buried, on its west side, beneath the heavily cratered terrain of Arabia Terra. The center of Tikhonravov is near 13.5°N, 324.2°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left.
Winter Clouds Over Mie
PIA05690
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Winter Clouds Over Mie
Original Caption Released with Image 12 March 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) red wide angle image shows late winter clouds over the 104 km (~65 mi) diameter crater, Mie. Cellular clouds occur in the lower martian atmosphere, surrounding Mie Crater. Their cloudtops are at an altitude that is below the crater rim. Higher than the crater rim occurs a series of lee wave clouds, indicating air circulation moving from west/northwest (left) toward the east/southeast (right). Mie Crater is located in Utopia Planitia, not too far from the Viking 2 landing site, near 48.5°N, 220.4°W. Sunlight illuminates this January 2004 scene from the lower left.
Eyeing "Eagle Crater
PIA05600
Sol (our sun)
Navigation Camera, Panoramic …
Title Eyeing "Eagle Crater
Original Caption Released with Image This image mosaic, compiled from navigation and panoramic camera images during the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's 33rd, 35th, and 36th sols on Mars, shows a panoramic view of the crater where the rover had been exploring since its dramatic arrival in late January 2004. The crater, now informally referred to as "Eagle Crater," is approximately 22 meters (72 feet) in diameter. Opportunity's lander is visible in the center of the image. Track marks reveal the rover's progress. The rover cameras recorded this view as Opportunity climbed close to the crater rim as part of a soil survey campaign.
Spirit Traverse Map, Sol 404
PIA07393
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Spirit Traverse Map, Sol 404
Original Caption Released with Image Figure 1 NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit drove a total of 4,143 meters (2.57 miles) between its landing in January 2004 and its 404th martian day, or sol (Feb. 20, 2005). This map on an image taken by the Mars Orbiter Camera on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the course the rover drove during that time. The rover has recently been approaching a ridge overlooking "Tennessee Valley" on the north flank of "Husband Hill."
Spirit Traverse Map, Sol 404
PIA07393
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Spirit Traverse Map, Sol 404
Original Caption Released with Image Figure 1 NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit drove a total of 4,143 meters (2.57 miles) between its landing in January 2004 and its 404th martian day, or sol (Feb. 20, 2005). This map on an image taken by the Mars Orbiter Camera on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the course the rover drove during that time. The rover has recently been approaching a ridge overlooking "Tennessee Valley" on the north flank of "Husband Hill."
Opportunity Traverse Map, So …
PIA07394
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Opportunity Traverse Map, Sol 383
Original Caption Released with Image Figure 1 NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity drove a total of 2,801 meters (1.74 miles) between its landing in January 2004 and its 383rd martian day, or sol (Feb. 20, 2005). This map on an image taken by the Mars Orbiter Camera on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the course the rover drove during that period. Recently, Opportunity has been making rapid progress from "Endurance Crater" toward exploration targets farther south.
Opportunity Traverse Map, So …
PIA07394
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Opportunity Traverse Map, Sol 383
Original Caption Released with Image Figure 1 NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity drove a total of 2,801 meters (1.74 miles) between its landing in January 2004 and its 383rd martian day, or sol (Feb. 20, 2005). This map on an image taken by the Mars Orbiter Camera on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows the course the rover drove during that period. Recently, Opportunity has been making rapid progress from "Endurance Crater" toward exploration targets farther south.
'Victoria Crater' at Meridia …
PIA08813
Sol (our sun)
HiRISE
Title 'Victoria Crater' at Meridiani Planum
Original Caption Released with Image . JPL, 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 is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona., Annotated Image This image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows "Victoria crater," an impact crater at Meridiani Planum, near the equator of Mars. The crater is approximately 800 meters (half a mile) in diameter. It has a distinctive scalloped shape to its rim, caused by erosion and downhill movement of crater wall material. Layered sedimentary rocks are exposed along the inner wall of the crater, and boulders that have fallen from the crater wall are visible on the crater floor. The floor of the crater is occupied by a striking field of sand dunes. Since January 2004, the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been operating at Meridiani Planum. Five days before this image was taken, Opportunity arrived at the rim of Victoria crater, after a drive of more than 9 kilometers (over 5 miles). The rover can be seen in this image, at roughly the "ten o'clock" position along the rim of the crater. This view is a portion of an image taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on Oct. 3, 2006. The complete image is centered at minus7.8 degrees latitude, 279.5 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 297 kilometers (185.6 miles). At this distance the image scale is 29.7 centimeters (12 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects about 89 centimeters (35 inches) across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 centimeters (10 inches) per pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:30 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 59.7 degrees, thus the sun was about 30.3 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 113.6 degrees, the season on Mars is northern summer. The full-resolution TIFF file (HiRISE number TRA_000873_1780) can be viewed or downloaded here PIA08813-hi-res.tif, the full-resolution JPEG can be viewed or downloaded here PIA08813-hi-res.jpg. [Photojournal note: Due to the large sizes of the high-resolution TIFF and JPEG files, some systems may experience extremely slow downlink time while viewing or downloading these images, some systems may be incapable of handling the download entirely.] This is an enhanced-color view generated from images acquired by the HiRISE camera using its red filter and blue-green filter. Images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment and additional information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are available online at: http://www.nasa.gov/mro [ http://www.nasa.gov/mro ] or http://HiRISE.lpl.arizona.edu [ http://HiRISE.lpl.arizona.edu ]. For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, http://www.nasa.gov [ http://www.nasa.gov ]
'Victoria Crater' at Meridia …
PIA08813
Sol (our sun)
HiRISE
Title 'Victoria Crater' at Meridiani Planum
Original Caption Released with Image . JPL, 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 is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona., Annotated Image This image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows "Victoria crater," an impact crater at Meridiani Planum, near the equator of Mars. The crater is approximately 800 meters (half a mile) in diameter. It has a distinctive scalloped shape to its rim, caused by erosion and downhill movement of crater wall material. Layered sedimentary rocks are exposed along the inner wall of the crater, and boulders that have fallen from the crater wall are visible on the crater floor. The floor of the crater is occupied by a striking field of sand dunes. Since January 2004, the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been operating at Meridiani Planum. Five days before this image was taken, Opportunity arrived at the rim of Victoria crater, after a drive of more than 9 kilometers (over 5 miles). The rover can be seen in this image, at roughly the "ten o'clock" position along the rim of the crater. This view is a portion of an image taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on Oct. 3, 2006. The complete image is centered at minus7.8 degrees latitude, 279.5 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 297 kilometers (185.6 miles). At this distance the image scale is 29.7 centimeters (12 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects about 89 centimeters (35 inches) across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 centimeters (10 inches) per pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:30 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 59.7 degrees, thus the sun was about 30.3 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 113.6 degrees, the season on Mars is northern summer. The full-resolution TIFF file (HiRISE number TRA_000873_1780) can be viewed or downloaded here PIA08813-hi-res.tif, the full-resolution JPEG can be viewed or downloaded here PIA08813-hi-res.jpg. [Photojournal note: Due to the large sizes of the high-resolution TIFF and JPEG files, some systems may experience extremely slow downlink time while viewing or downloading these images, some systems may be incapable of handling the download entirely.] This is an enhanced-color view generated from images acquired by the HiRISE camera using its red filter and blue-green filter. Images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment and additional information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are available online at: http://www.nasa.gov/mro [ http://www.nasa.gov/mro ] or http://HiRISE.lpl.arizona.edu [ http://HiRISE.lpl.arizona.edu ]. For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, http://www.nasa.gov [ http://www.nasa.gov ]
Opportunity's Trek Across th …
PIA07154
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Opportunity's Trek Across the Plains of Meridiani
Original Caption Released with Image Figure 1 Opportunity is approaching the heat shield that protected the rover from frictional high temperatures during descent through the martian atmosphere in January 2004. The spacecraft carrying the rover jettisoned the heat shield just prior to landing. This orbital view shows the course the rover drove from its landing to its 324th martian day, or sol (Dec. 21, 2004), including the historic path of Opportunity's six months of exploration inside Endurance Crater. Opportunity drove 90.9 meters (298 feet) on sol 324, bringing its total odometry to 1,997.8 meters (1.24 miles).
Opportunity's Trek Across th …
PIA07154
Sol (our sun)
Mars Orbiter Camera
Title Opportunity's Trek Across the Plains of Meridiani
Original Caption Released with Image Figure 1 Opportunity is approaching the heat shield that protected the rover from frictional high temperatures during descent through the martian atmosphere in January 2004. The spacecraft carrying the rover jettisoned the heat shield just prior to landing. This orbital view shows the course the rover drove from its landing to its 324th martian day, or sol (Dec. 21, 2004), including the historic path of Opportunity's six months of exploration inside Endurance Crater. Opportunity drove 90.9 meters (298 feet) on sol 324, bringing its total odometry to 1,997.8 meters (1.24 miles).
Gusev Crater, here we come!
PIA05335
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Gusev Crater, here we come!
Original Caption Released with Image Released 3 January 2004 This evening at approximately 8:35 PST the Mars Exploration Rover named Spirit [ http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] will bounce to the ground somewhere in this scene. The image is composed of nine THEMIS VIS frames that have been mosaiced together, producing a complete picture of the region in which the rover is predicted to land. The dark streaks are places where wind has either scoured off the brighter martian dust or has covered it up by sand. Note the interesting lobes of material evident along the right side of the image just below the large crater. These may be due to the emplacement of water rich sediments or possibly lava flows. It is hoped that Spirit and all of its instruments will help us to understand the rich geologic history that is on display in this image. The biggest question to be answered: was Gusev Crater filled with water sometime in its ancient past? Stay tuned... Mosaic produced by Noel Gorelick, ASU/THEMIS Team. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -14.8, Longitude 175.2 East (184.8 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.
Gusev Crater, here we come!
PIA05335
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Gusev Crater, here we come!
Original Caption Released with Image Released 3 January 2004 This evening at approximately 8:35 PST the Mars Exploration Rover named Spirit [ http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/ ] will bounce to the ground somewhere in this scene. The image is composed of nine THEMIS VIS frames that have been mosaiced together, producing a complete picture of the region in which the rover is predicted to land. The dark streaks are places where wind has either scoured off the brighter martian dust or has covered it up by sand. Note the interesting lobes of material evident along the right side of the image just below the large crater. These may be due to the emplacement of water rich sediments or possibly lava flows. It is hoped that Spirit and all of its instruments will help us to understand the rich geologic history that is on display in this image. The biggest question to be answered: was Gusev Crater filled with water sometime in its ancient past? Stay tuned... Mosaic produced by Noel Gorelick, ASU/THEMIS Team. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -14.8, Longitude 175.2 East (184.8 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.
Spirit has Landed!
PIA05336
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Spirit has Landed!
Original Caption Released with Image Released 5 January 2004 In the evening of January 3, the MER lander [ http://athena.cornell.edu/ ] Spirit [ http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/ ] came to a safe landing right in the middle of Gusev Crater (shown by red arrow). This is an area riddled with dust devil tracks in the summertime (note the many dark streaks). With some luck those dust devils have scoured the surface clean of dust, exposing the underlying rocks which hold the secrets of Mars' past. Over the next few months, the THEMIS team will be working with the Mini-TES [ http://minites.asu.edu/ ] instrument onboard Spirit to do extensive research in Gusev crater. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -14.6, Longitude 175.5 East (184.5 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Spirit has Landed!
PIA05336
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Spirit has Landed!
Original Caption Released with Image Released 5 January 2004 In the evening of January 3, the MER lander [ http://athena.cornell.edu/ ] Spirit [ http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/ ] came to a safe landing right in the middle of Gusev Crater (shown by red arrow). This is an area riddled with dust devil tracks in the summertime (note the many dark streaks). With some luck those dust devils have scoured the surface clean of dust, exposing the underlying rocks which hold the secrets of Mars' past. Over the next few months, the THEMIS team will be working with the Mini-TES [ http://minites.asu.edu/ ] instrument onboard Spirit to do extensive research in Gusev crater. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -14.6, Longitude 175.5 East (184.5 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Gusev Crater in Infrared
PIA05348
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Gusev Crater in Infrared
Original Caption Released with Image Released 8 January 2004 Long before the MER landers were named or launched, the two orbiters at Mars were asked to examine landing sites. Both the Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft have been collecting landing site data for the past two years. The MGS and ODY data were used as part of the decision making process in the final selection of the two landing sites. The types of data collected by the two orbiters included not only images of the surface but also thermal data about the surface composition, atmospheric data about the climate at each location, and the tracking of major dust storms in the region prior to landing. The presence of, and data collected by, the MGS and ODY orbiters have proven invaluable in MER mission planning. This infrared image covers most of the eastern side of Gusev Crater, slightly to the east of Spirit's landing spot. To the south, it shows the northern end of Ma'adim Vallis, which is thought to have brought water into Gusev Crater in the distant past. This image was taken on 2 August 2002. Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -14.4, Longitude 176.2 East (183.8 West). 100 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.
Gusev Crater in Infrared
PIA05348
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Gusev Crater in Infrared
Original Caption Released with Image Released 8 January 2004 Long before the MER landers were named or launched, the two orbiters at Mars were asked to examine landing sites. Both the Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft have been collecting landing site data for the past two years. The MGS and ODY data were used as part of the decision making process in the final selection of the two landing sites. The types of data collected by the two orbiters included not only images of the surface but also thermal data about the surface composition, atmospheric data about the climate at each location, and the tracking of major dust storms in the region prior to landing. The presence of, and data collected by, the MGS and ODY orbiters have proven invaluable in MER mission planning. This infrared image covers most of the eastern side of Gusev Crater, slightly to the east of Spirit's landing spot. To the south, it shows the northern end of Ma'adim Vallis, which is thought to have brought water into Gusev Crater in the distant past. This image was taken on 2 August 2002. Image information: IR instrument. Latitude -14.4, Longitude 176.2 East (183.8 West). 100 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.
Gusev Crater
PIA05346
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Gusev Crater
Original Caption Released with Image Released 6 January 2004 Long before the MER landers were named or launched, the two orbiters at Mars were asked to examine landing sites. Both the Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft have been collecting landing site data for the past two years. The MGS and ODY data were used as part of the decision making process in the final selection of the two landing sites. The types of data collected by the two orbiters included not only images of the surface but also thermal data about the surface composition, atmospheric data about the climate at each location, and the tracking of major dust storms in the region prior to landing. The presence of, and data collected by, the MGS and ODY orbiters have proven invaluable in MER mission planning. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -14.5, Longitude 175.8 East (184.2 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Gusev Crater
PIA05346
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Gusev Crater
Original Caption Released with Image Released 6 January 2004 Long before the MER landers were named or launched, the two orbiters at Mars were asked to examine landing sites. Both the Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft have been collecting landing site data for the past two years. The MGS and ODY data were used as part of the decision making process in the final selection of the two landing sites. The types of data collected by the two orbiters included not only images of the surface but also thermal data about the surface composition, atmospheric data about the climate at each location, and the tracking of major dust storms in the region prior to landing. The presence of, and data collected by, the MGS and ODY orbiters have proven invaluable in MER mission planning. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -14.5, Longitude 175.8 East (184.2 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Southern Gusev
PIA05349
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Southern Gusev
Original Caption Released with Image Released 9 January 2004 Long before the MER landers were named or launched, the two orbiters at Mars were asked to examine landing sites. Both the Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft have been collecting landing site data for the past two years. The MGS and ODY data were used as part of the decision making process in the final selection of the two landing sites. The types of data collected by the two orbiters included not only images of the surface but also thermal data about the surface composition, atmospheric data about the climate at each location, and the tracking of major dust storms in the region prior to landing. The presence of, and data collected by, the MGS and ODY orbiters have proven invaluable in MER mission planning. This image, captured 22 June 2002, shows the southern area of Gusev crater and the northern end of Ma'adim Vallis, which is thought to have brought water into Gusev crater in the distant past. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -15.4, Longitude 175.6 East (184.4 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.
Southern Gusev
PIA05349
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Southern Gusev
Original Caption Released with Image Released 9 January 2004 Long before the MER landers were named or launched, the two orbiters at Mars were asked to examine landing sites. Both the Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft have been collecting landing site data for the past two years. The MGS and ODY data were used as part of the decision making process in the final selection of the two landing sites. The types of data collected by the two orbiters included not only images of the surface but also thermal data about the surface composition, atmospheric data about the climate at each location, and the tracking of major dust storms in the region prior to landing. The presence of, and data collected by, the MGS and ODY orbiters have proven invaluable in MER mission planning. This image, captured 22 June 2002, shows the southern area of Gusev crater and the northern end of Ma'adim Vallis, which is thought to have brought water into Gusev crater in the distant past. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -15.4, Longitude 175.6 East (184.4 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.
Western Gusev
PIA05347
Sol (our sun)
Thermal Emission Imaging Sys …
Title Western Gusev
Original Caption Released with Image Released 7 January 2004 Long before the MER landers were named or launched, the two orbiters at Mars were asked to examine landing sites. Both the Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft have been collecting landing site data for the past two years. The MGS and ODY data were used as part of the decision making process in the final selection of the two landing sites. The types of data collected by the two orbiters included not only images of the surface but also thermal data about the surface composition, atmospheric data about the climate at each location, and the tracking of major dust storms in the region prior to landing. The presence of, and data collected by, the MGS and ODY orbiters have proven invaluable in MER mission planning. This image shows some of the far-western areas of Gusev Crater, and was captured on 27 June 2003, while Spirit was en-route to Mars. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -14, Longitude 174.8 East (185.2 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
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