Martian City Map

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Caption:

30 May 2004
Seasonal frost can enhance the view from orbit of polar polygonal patterns on the surface of Mars. Sometimes these patterns look something like a city map, or the view from above a city lit-up at night. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an example from the south polar region near 80.7°S, 70.6°W. Polar polygons on Mars are generally believed, though not proven, to be the result of freeze/thaw cycles of ice occurring within the upper few meters (several yards) of the martian subsurface. The image shown here covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across; sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name	Value	Additional Values
Target	Mars
System
Target Type	Planet
Mission	Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)
Instrument Host	Mars Global Surveyor
Host Type	Orbiter
Instrument	Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
Detector
Extra Keywords	Grayscale, Map
Acquisition Date
Release Date	2004-05-30
Date in Caption	2004-05-30
Image Credit	NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems
Source	photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06289
Identifier	PIA06289