NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Polar Layers, Exposed
Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-1560, 20 August 2006
 NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
| This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a layered slope in the martian north polar region, being exposed by the removal of an overlying, smoother material seen in the lower third of the image. At the time this picture was obtained, the entire area was covered by bright, carbon dioxide frost. |
| Location near: 79.7°N, 341.0°W |
| Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) |
| Illumination from: lower left |
| Season: Northern Spring |
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.
