PIA02979: Mariner Crater


Mariner Crater

Caption:

Mariner 4 image of the crater named after it, the 151 km diameter Mariner crater at 35 S, 164 W. Running from the lower left corner of the frame through the bottom of the crater is a linear ridge which is part of Sirenum Fossae. The image was taken from 12,600 km and covers 250 km by 254 km. North is up. (Mariner 4, frame 11E)

Mariner 4 was the first spacecraft to get a close look at Mars. Flying as close as 9,846 kilometers (6,118 miles), Mariner 4 revealed Mars to have a cratered, rust-colored surface, with signs on some parts of the planet that liquid water had once etched its way into the soil.

Background Info:

Mariner 4 was launched on November 28, 1964 and arrived at Mars on July 14, 1965.

Cataloging Keywords:

Name Value Additional Values
Target Mars
System
Target Type Planet
Mission Mariner
Instrument Host Mariner 4
Host Type Flyby Spacecraft
Instrument
Detector
Extra Keywords Crater, Grayscale, Water
Acquisition Date
Release Date 2000-11-04
Date in Caption
Image Credit NASA/JPL
Source photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02979
Identifier PIA02979