NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Hale Central Peak

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-854, 19 September 2004

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
image shows some of the mountains that make up the central
peak region of Hale Crater, located
near 35.8°S, 36.5°W. Dark, smooth-surfaced
sand dunes are seen to be climbing up the mountainous
slopes. The central peak of a crater consists
of rock brought up during the impact from below the
crater floor. This autumn image is illuminated from
the upper left and
covers an area approximately 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.