PIA05253: Summer South Polar Cap
 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:  1024 x 1536 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems
 Producer ID:  MOC2-617
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA05253.tif (1.575 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA05253.jpg (480.3 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:

26 January 2004
This January 2004 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows what the martian south polar residual cap looks like in the middle of summer. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the top/upper left. The picture shows mesas composed of frozen carbon dioxide, each about 2-5 meters (6-16 ft.) high. Sunlight has darkened the slopes around the mesas as carbon dioxide sublimes away throughout the summer. The image is located near 86.2°S, 351.4°W, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi.) wide.

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2004-01-26