NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Channel on Ascraeus Mons

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-718, 6 May 2004

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
image shows a portion of a deep channel formed on the northern
flank of the large volcano, Ascraeus Mons. Layers of volcanic
rock are exposed in the channel walls, and the dark dots on
the valley floor are boulders derived from erosion of these
materials. The picture occurs
near 14.5°N, 102.8°W, and is illuminated from the
lower left. The picture
covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across.

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.