NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Malea Patera
Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-1510, 1 July 2006
 NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
| This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows dusty terrain near the west rim of Malea Patera, located southwest of Hellas Planitia. The circular feature near the left (west) edge of the image is a filled and partially exhumed (and nearly inverted) impact crater which still shows a well-defined, raised rim. The dark streaks that run across the scene are tracks left by passing spring and summertime dust devils—a common occurrence in this area. |
| Location near: 63.4°S, 312.5°W |
| Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) |
| Illumination from: upper left |
| Season: Southern Summer |
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.
