THEMIS image: Dust devil tracks in Utopia

Posted on February 11, 2014 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, February 11, 2014. The dark markings in this VIS image are tracks made by the passage of “dust devils”. Dust devils are common in the extensive plains of the northern latitudes. This image is located in Utopia Planitia. More THEMIS Images of the Day by geologic topic.

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HiRISE image: Sinuous ridge and mesa

Posted on February 10, 2014 by rburnham

Beautiful Mars series: Sinuous ridge and a mesa in Kasabi Crater. More Beautiful Mars images.

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HiRISE image: Warm-season slope flows

Posted on February 10, 2014 by rburnham

Dark, seasonal flows emanate from bedrock exposures at Palikir Crater on Mars in this image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. These flows, now documented at several places on Mars, form and grow during warm seasons when surface temperature is warm enough for salty ice to melt, and then fade or completely disappear… [More at link]

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THEMIS image: Changing winds

Posted on February 10, 2014 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, February 10, 2014. Bright windstreaks are located around several small craters at the top of this VIS image. The streaks indicate that the winds in this region are variable. There are streaks indicating winds blew from east to west, NNE to SSW, SW to NE and ESE to WNW. The brightest streaks are the E to W, which may indicate that they represent the most recent winds. More THEMIS Images of the Day by geological topic.

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HiRISE image: unusual mound on a crater floor

Posted on February 7, 2014 by rburnham

From the Beautiful Mars series: an unusual mound on the floor of a mid-latitude crater.  More Beautiful Mars images.

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CRISM image: phyllosilicates in a Tyrrhena Terra crater rim

Posted on February 7, 2014 by rburnham

This image shows layers clays and clay-like minerals called phyllosilicates that are exposed in Tyrrhena Terra, part of Mars’ ancient, heavily-cratered southern highlands. Tyrrhena Terra is roughly 2,300 kilometers (1,430 miles) across, about the size of Earth’s continent of Antarctica! Magenta colors show exposures of phyllosilicates rich in the elements iron and magnesium in the wall of the crater. This composition… [More at link]

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Curiosity image: Earth and Moon as evening stars

Posted on February 7, 2014 by rburnham

This view of the twilight sky and Martian horizon taken by NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover includes Earth as the brightest point of light in the night sky. Earth is a little left of center in the image, and our Moon is just below Earth. Two annotated versions of the image are also available. Researchers used the left eye camera of Curiosity’s Mast Camera (Mastcam) to capture this scene about 80 minutes after sunset on the 529th Martian day, or sol, of the rover’s work on Mars (Jan. 31, 2014). The image has been processed to remove effects of cosmic rays…. [More at link]

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THEMIS image: Athabasca Valles

Posted on February 7, 2014 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, February 7, 2014. This VIS image shows a portion of Athabasca Valles. More THEMIS Images of the Day by geological topic.

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MARCI weather report, January 27-February 2, 2014

Posted on February 6, 2014 by rburnham

Dust storm activity occurred daily along the perennial northern cap edge north of Tempe, with suspended dust being transported southeastward into Acidalia. In the south, a transient local dust storm was observed northwest of Candor Chasma in central Valles Marineris. Water ice clouds were present in the afternoon across the tropics of both hemispheres and over all the major shield volcanoes. Afternoon skies… [More at link]

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Curiosity raw image: Sol 534, February 5, 2014

Posted on February 6, 2014 by rburnham

Looking ahead westward from the top of the dune in Dingo Gap: This image was taken by Front Hazcam: Right B (FHAZ_RIGHT_B) onboard NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 534 (2014-02-05 18:42:24 UTC). More Curiosity raw images (all cameras, all sols).

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