Phoenix Looks Around

NASA Picture of the Day

"Combining more than 400 images, NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander views its surroundings in the Red Planet's northernmost region.

The full-circle panorama in approximately true color shows the polygonal patterning of ground at the landing area, similar to patterns in permafrost areas on Earth. South is toward the top. Trenches, where Phoenix's robotic arm has been exposing subsurface material, are visible in the lower half of the image. The spacecraft's meteorology mast, topped by the telltale wind gauge, extends into the sky portion of the panorama."

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University