This view is a polar projection that combines more than 500 exposures
taken by the Surface Stereo Imager camera on NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander
and projects them as if looking down from above.
The black circle on the spacecraft is where the camera itself is mounted
on the lander, out of view in images taken by the camera. North is toward
the top of the image. The lander's meteorology mast extends above the
southwest horzon and is topped by the telltale wind gauge.
The ground surface around the lander has polygonal patterning similar to
patterns in permafrost areas on Earth. The landing site is at 68.22
degrees north latitude, 234.25 degrees east longitude on Mars.
This view in approximately true color comprises more than 100 different
Stereo Surface Imager pointings, with images taken through three different
filters at each pointing. The images were taken throughout the period from
the 13th Martian day, or sol, after landing to the 47th sol (June 5
through July 12, 2008). The lander's Robotic Arm is cut off in this mosaic
view because component images were taken when the arm was out of the frame.
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.
