The Surface Stereo Imager on NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander took this false
color image on Oct. 21, 2008, during the 145th Martian day, or sol, since
landing. The bluish-white areas seen in these trenches are part of an ice
layer beneath the soil.
The trench on the upper left, called "Dodo-Goldilocks," is about 38
centimeters (15 inches) long and 4 centimeters (1.5 inches) deep. The
trench on the right, called "Upper Cupboard," is about 60 centimeters (24
inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) deep. The trench in the lower
middle is called "Stone Soup."
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.