The Martian North Polar Cap in Summer
Summary
This is a wide angle view of the martian north polar cap as it appeared to the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) in early northern summer. The picture was acquired on March 13, 1999, near the start of the Mapping Phase of the MGS mission. The light-toned surfaces are residual water ice that remains through the summer season. The nearly circular band of dark material surrounding the cap consists mainly of sand dunes formed and shaped by wind. The north polar cap is roughly 1100 kilometers (680 miles) across. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02800
NASA/JPL/MSSS
Tags
Date
1999
Location
California Institute of Technology - Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 34.20139, -118.17341
Source
NASA
Copyright info
Public Domain Dedication (CC0)