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MGS/MOC MOI-22
Approach Image 3

Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera Release:                   MOC2-7
Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera Image ID:            556502306.31

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Image acquired 8/19/1997 23:58:24 UTC
Camera Aim Point = 23.6°N, 352.2°W
Range = 5.73 Mkm

The bright area at the center of this view of Mars taken by the MGS/MOC is called Arabia. It contains some of the brightest ground on Mars, thought to be especially deep or fresh dust deposits. Syrtis Major, the dark feature curving north-south near the center edge of the planet, is devoid of large amounts of dust, probably because sand moves for frequently there and kicks up the dust into the martian air where it can be transported away. The dark "splotches" near the middle top of the image are small sand dune fields trapped in the depressions of the Protonilus and Nilosyrtis "fretted terrain" (a zone of valleys formed by tectonic fracturing and subsequent erosion). In the lower portion of the image is Terra Sabaea, a heavily cratered area near regions where major dust storms occur. The light, semicircular indentation is the 480 km diameter crater Schiaparelli.

Note: This MOC image is made available in order to share with the public the excitement of new discoveries being made via the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. The image may be reproduced only if the image is credited to "Malin Space Science Systems/NASA". Release of this image does not constitute a release of scientific data. The image and its caption should not be referenced in the scientific literature. Full data releases to the scientific community are scheduled by the Mars Global Surveyor Project and NASA Planetary Data System. Typically, data will be released after a 6 month calibration and validation period.

Click Here for more information on MGS data release and archiving plans.

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