PIA03977: South Polar Knob
 Target Name:  Mars
 Is a satellite of:  Sol (our sun)
 Mission:  Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)
 Spacecraft:  Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter
 Instrument:  Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
 Product Size:  672 x 1378 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems
 Producer ID:  MOC2-1139
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA03977.tif (927.2 kB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA03977.jpg (152.4 kB)

Click on the image above to download a moderately sized image in JPEG format (possibly reduced in size from original)

Original Caption Released with Image:

1 July 2005
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a small, relatively light-toned knob of layered material, and the erosional expression of the underlying layers, in the south polar region of Mars. When the image was acquired in April 2005, the surface was still covered with seasonal carbon dioxide frost. Dark spots and streaks mark locations where the frost had begun to change and sublime away.

Location near: 84.2°S, 138.3°W
Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)
Illumination from: upper left
Season Southern Spring

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2005-07-01