NASA Mars Picture of the Day: South Polar Terraces
Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-1368, 9 February 2006
 NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems |
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows layering in terrain at the high southern latitudes of Mars. South polar layers are commonly assumed to consist of varying amounts of dust and ice. An alternative explanation—they may be exposures of ancient sedimentary rock. |
Location near: 78.9°S, 10.1°W |
Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi) |
Illumination from: upper left |
Season: Southern Summer |
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.
