NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Eroded Crater

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

This April 2003 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
image shows an old, eroded meteor impact crater in western Chryse
Planitia near 20.6°N, 50.8°W. This crater is located
“downstream” of the ancient outflow channel system of Maja Valles; it
is about half the distance between Maja Valles and the Viking 1
landing site, which occurs further “downstream” of this area toward
the northeast (upper right). Much of the erosion that wore the crater’s
rims down to their present, rounded state might have occurred during
the floods that are thought to have poured onto Chryse Planitia
from Maja Valles. The picture covers an area 3 km
(1.9 mi) wide and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left.

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.