NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Syrian Dust Devil
Mars Global SurveyorMars Orbiter Camera
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-994, 6 February 2005
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a dust devil in far western Syria Planum. The dust devil is located near the left-center of the image. It is casting a shadow toward the lower right (southeast). |
Location near: 14.5°S, 109.6°W |
Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) |
Illumination from: upper left |
Season: Southern Winter |
Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology
built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission.
MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, California.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Mars Surveyor Operations Project
operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial
partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena,
California and Denver, Colorado.