PIA08029: Promethei Pedestal
 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 972 pixels (w x h)
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems
 Producer ID:  MOC2-1420
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA08029.tif (654.1 kB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA08029.jpg (95.76 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:

2 April 2006
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a pedestal crater in the Promethei Terra region. The ejecta from an impact crater is usually rocky. The rocks in the ejecta help shield the terrain beneath the ejecta from being eroded away by wind. Thus, over time, some craters appear to be raised on pedestals defined by their ejecta blankets, because wind has stripped away tons and tons of surrounding material.

Location near: 65.4°S, 264.7°W
Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)
Illumination from: upper left
Season: Southern Autumn

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2006-04-02