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Meridiani Planum

This mosaic of infrared images shows the abundance and location of hematite at Opportunity's landing site, Meridiani Planum. On Earth, hematite is a mineral that typically forms in water.

August 24, 2004

Credits

NASA/JPL/Arizona State University

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Three views of the Martian moon Phobos taken by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter using its infrared camera.
Odyssey's Three Views of Phobos
This image superimposes Gamma-Ray Spectrometer data from NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter onto topographic data from the laser altimeter on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor.
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This image superimposes Gamma-Ray Spectrometer data from NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter onto topographic data from the laser altimeter on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor.
Potassium Concentrations on Mars
NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft passes above Mars' south pole in this artist's concept illustration. The spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since October 24, 2001.
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NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft passes above Mars' south pole in this artist's concept illustration. The spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since October 24, 2001.
Odyssey over Mars' South Pole
This unnamed channel drains part of Margaritifer Terra.
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This unnamed channel drains part of Margaritifer Terra.
Channel in Margaritifer Terra.
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander, its backshell and its heatshield are visible within this enhanced-color image of the Phoenix landing site taken on Jan. 6, 2010 by the High Resolution Imaging Science Ex...
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Phoenix Lander Amid Disappearing Spring Ice
Phoenix Lander Amid Disappearing Spring Ice
This image is near the southern edge of a low, broad volcanic feature called Syrtis Major.
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This image is near the southern edge of a low, broad volcanic feature called Syrtis Major. A close look at this image reveals a wrinkly texture that indicates a very rough surface that is associated with the lava flows that cover this region. On a larger scale, there are numerous bright streaks that trail topographic features such as craters. These bright streaks are in the wind shadows of the craters where dust that settles onto the surface is not as easily scoured away. It is important to note that these streaks are only bright in a relative sense to the surrounding image. Syrtis Major is one of the darkest regions on Mars and it is as dark as fresh basalt flows or dunes are on Earth.
Syrtis Major
This graphic depicts the relative shapes and distances from Mars for five active orbiter missions plus the planet's two natural satellites. It illustrates the potential for intersections of the spa...
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This graphic depicts the relative shapes and distances from Mars for five active orbiter missions plus the planet's two natural satellites. It illustrates the potential for intersections of the spacecraft orbits.
Diverse Orbits Around Mars
Mars Odyssey Project Manager Gaylon McSmith, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Mars Odyssey Project Manager Gaylon McSmith, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Mars Odyssey Project Manager Gaylon McSmith
This image combines two products from the first pointing at the Martian moon Phobos by the THEMIS camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, on Sept. 29, 2017. Surface-temperature information from obse...
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Temperature Gradient on Martian Moon Phobos
Temperature Gradient on Martian Moon Phobos
Valles Marineris, the "Grand Canyon of Mars," sprawls wide enough to reach from Los Angeles to nearly New York City, if it were located on Earth. The red outline box shows the location of a second,...
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Valles Marineris, the "Grand Canyon of Mars," sprawls wide enough to reach from Los Angeles to nearly New York City, if it were located on Earth. The red outline box shows the location of a second, full-resolution image.
Valles Marineris, the "Grand Canyon of Mars"
Mars radiation levels are two to three times higher than around Earth.
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Mars radiation levels are two to three times higher than around Earth.
Mars radiation levels
Five decades of successful NASA missions to the Red Planet, 1965-2015.
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50 Years of Mars Exploration
50 Years of Mars Exploration
Artist's concept of future humans on Mars.
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Artist's concept of future humans on Mars.
Artist's concept of future humans on Mars.
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Mars in a Minute: What Happens When the Sun Blocks our Signal?
2021_WindingTributary.jpg
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2021_WindingTributary.jpg
Winding Side Canyon (Louros Valles)
This false color image shows a region with craters of different ages located at the margin of Acidalia Planitia. This image was collected during the Northern Spring season.
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This false color image shows a region with craters of different ages located at the margin of Acidalia Planitia. This image was collected during the Northern Spring season. The THEMIS VIS camera is capable of capturing color images of the Martian surface using five different color filters. In this mode of operation, the spatial resolution and coverage of the image must be reduced to accommodate the additional data volume produced from using multiple filters. To make a color image, three of the five filter images (each in grayscale) are selected. Each is contrast enhanced and then converted to a red, green, or blue intensity image. These three images are then combined to produce a full color, single image. Because the THEMIS color filters don't span the full range of colors seen by the human eye, a color THEMIS image does not represent true color. Also, because each single-filter image is contrast enhanced before inclusion in the three-color image, the apparent color variation of the scene is exaggerated. Nevertheless, the color variation that does appear is representative of some change in color, however subtle, in the actual scene. Note that the long edges of THEMIS color images typically contain color artifacts that do not represent surface variation.
Cratered Acidalia Planitia
Valleys much younger than well-known ancient valley networks on Mars are evident near the informally named "Heart Lake" on Mars. This map presents color-coded topographical information overlaid ont...
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Valleys much younger than well-known ancient valley networks on Mars are evident near the informally named "Heart Lake" on Mars. This map presents color-coded topographical information overlaid onto a photo mosaic. Lower elevations are indicated with white and purple; higher elevations, yellow.
Landscape of Former Lakes and Streams on Northern Mars
The dunes in this VIS image are located in Aonia Terra.
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The dunes in this VIS image are located in Aonia Terra.
Dunes in Aonia Terra
How do you converse with a robot nearly one hundred million miles away? In this video, Odyssey team members describe communications with the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft using the antennas of the D...
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Challenges of Getting to Mars: Telecommunications
Challenges of Getting to Mars: Telecommunications
A small impact crater on Mars named Gratteri, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) wide, lies at the center of large dark streaks.
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A small impact crater on Mars named Gratteri, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) wide, lies at the center of large dark streaks.
Mars Impact Crater Gratteri
Planum Boreum crater
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Planum Boreum crater
Planum Boreum crater
Six views of the Martian moon Phobos captured by NASA's Odyssey orbiter as of March 2020. The orbiter's THEMIS camera is used to measure temperature variations that suggest what kind of material th...
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Three views of the Martian moon Phobos
Odyssey's Six Views of Phobos
NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter arrived at Mars on Oct. 24, 2001.
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NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter arrived at Mars on Oct. 24, 2001. Displayed is an illustration of some of the highlights of the spacecraft in the last 20 years
Mars Odyssey Orbiter By the Numbers
This false-color map shows the area within Gale Crater on Mars, where NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Aug. 5, 2012 PDT (Aug. 6, 2012 EDT) and the location where Curiosity collected its first drill...
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This false-color map shows the area within Gale Crater on Mars, where NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Aug. 5, 2012 PDT (Aug. 6, 2012 EDT) and the location where Curiosity collected its first drilled sample at the "John Klein" rock.
Location of John Klein Drill Site
This image captured by NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft shows a section of Nanedi Valles, located in Xanthe Terra.
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Nanedi Valles
Nanedi Valles

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