PIA08057: Polar Layers
This image from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor shows an eroded stack of layered material in a crater of the south polar region of Mars.
 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:  836 x 2734 pixels (w x h) 
 Produced By:  Malin Space Science Systems 
 Producer ID:  MOC2-1427  
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA08057.tif (2.288 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA08057.jpg (490.1 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:

9 April 2006
This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows an eroded stack of layered material in a crater of the south polar region of Mars. The composition of the layers is not known; some speculate that they may contain a combination of dust and ice, or possibly ancient sedimentary rock.

Location near: 80.6°S, 230.4°W
Image width: ~3 km (~1.9 mi)
Illumination from: upper left
Season: Southern Summer

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

Image Addition Date:
2006-04-09