NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Small Syrian Volcano

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-498, 29 September 2003

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Today, 29 September 2003, is the first day of southern
summer, and the first day of northern winter on Mars.
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
image shows a small volcano in Syria Planum
near 12.9°S, 102.7°W. The volcano and surrounding
terrain have been thickly mantled by dust; this dust has
subsequently been eroded so that it appears textured rather
than smooth. The thin, light streaks that crisscross the
image are the tracks left by passing dust devils. Not all
dust devils on Mars make streaks, and not all streaks are
darker than their surroundings—those found in Syria
Planum are invariably lighter in tone.
The picture covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi)
across; sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper 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.