PIA00934: MGS Approach Image - 307.3° W Longitude


MGS Approach Image - 307.3° W Longitude

Caption:

This image was acquired by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) on August 20, 1997, when MGS was 5.51 million kilometers (3.42 million miles) and 22 days from encounter. At this distance, the MOC's resolution is about 20.6 km per picture element, and the 6800 km (4200 mile) diameter planet is about 330 pixels across. North is at the top of the image. The MGS spacecraft pointed the camera at the center of the planet (near the dark, morning sunrise line, or terminator) at 23.6° N, 307.3° W. The irregularity of the terminator seen in this image results from contrast processing. This image shows the prominent dark feature Syrtis Major, believed to be a relatively dust-free area of bedrock outcrop and sand dunes. The large Hellas impact basin (2000 km or 1250 miles across) is seen at the bottom of the picture. Clouds from the south polar region fill the basin. The north polar residual ice cap, surrounded by a dark annulus of sand, is seen at the top of the picture.

Background Info:

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, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO.

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 Dune, Dust, Grayscale, Impact
Acquisition Date
Release Date 1997-09-10
Date in Caption 1997-08-20
Image Credit NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00934
Identifier PIA00934