NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Acheron Trough
Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-1460, 12 May 2006
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a portion of the floor and wall of a trough in the Acheron Fossae region of Mars. Mass movements of dry dust, which appears to mantle much of the scene, have created the dark slope streaks on the wall of the trough. |
Location near: 37.5°N, 131.0°W |
Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) |
Illumination from: lower left |
Season: Northern 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.