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PIA00364: Rocky Martian Plain
 Target Name:  Mars
 Is a satellite of:  Sol (our sun)
 Mission:  Viking
 Spacecraft:  Viking Lander 2
 Instrument:  Camera 2 
 Product Size:  2131 x 512 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  JPL
 Producer ID:  P17688
 Addition Date:  1997-01-08
 Primary Data Set:  Viking EDRs
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA00364.tif (545.3 kB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA00364.jpg (214.1 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:

The rocky Martian plain surrounding Viking 2 is seen in high resolution in this 85-degree panorama sweeping from north at the left to east at right during the Martian afternoon on September 5. Large blocks litter the surface. Some are porous, sponge-like rocks like the one at the left edge (size estimate: 1 1/2 to 2 feet); others are dense and fine-grained, such as the very bright rounded block (1 to 1 1/2 feet across) toward lower right. Pebbled surface between the rocks is covered in places by small drifts of very fine material similar to drifts seen at the Viking 1 landing site some 4600 miles to the southwest. The fine-grained material is banked up behind some rocks, but wind tails seen by Viking 1 are not well-developed here. On the right horizon, flat-topped ridges or hills are illuminated by the afternoon sun. Slope of the horizon is due to the 8-degree tilt of the spacecraft.

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL

Image Addition Date:
1997-01-08