NASA Mars Picture of the Day: Trough Near Stygis Catena

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-944, 18 December 2004

NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
image shows a trough in the Stygis Catena region east
of the martian volcano, Elysium Mons. The trough probably
formed by collapse. Large, dark boulders can be seen on
the trough floor in this volcanic region. The image is located
near 24.4°N, 210.4°W. The image covers
an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and
sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower 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.