This image was acquired by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander's Robotic Arm Camera
on the 35th Martian day of the mission, or Sol 34 (June 29, 2008), after
the May 25, 2008, landing. This image shows the trench informally called
"Snow White 5." The trench is 4-to-5 centimeters (about 1.5-to-1.9 inches)
deep, 24 centimeters (about 9 inches) wide and 33 centimeters (13 inches)
long.
Snow White 5 is Phoenix's current active digging area after additional
trenching, grooming, and scraping by Phoenix's Robotic Arm in the last
few sols to trenches informally called Snow White 1, 2, 3, and 4. Near the
top center of the image is the Robotic Arm's Thermal and Electrical
Conductivity Probe.
Snow White 5 is located in a patch of Martian soil near the center of a
polygonal surface feature, nicknamed "Cheshire Cat." The digging site has
been named "Wonderland."
This image has been enhanced to brighten shaded areas.
The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf
of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Spacecraft development is by Lockheed Martin
Space Systems, Denver.
