Phoenix Mars Lander

Morning Frost on the Surface of Mars

NASA Picture of the Day

"A thin layer of water frost is visible on the ground around NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander in this image taken by the Surface Stereo Imager at 6 a.m. on Sol 79 (August 14, 2008), the 79th Martian day after landing. The frost began to disappear shortly after 6 a.m. as the sun rose on the Phoenix landing site.

The sun was about 22 degrees above the horizon when the image was taken, enhancing the detail of the polygons, troughs and rocks around the landing site.

This view looks east-southeast with the lander's eastern solar panel visible in the bottom left-hand corner of the image.

This false color image has been enhanced to show color variations."

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

Phoenix Looks Around

Greg Chaffins

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

NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander Sends Back First Arctic Photo

Greg Chaffins

Mars Aactic

Welcome to the Northern Arctic plain of Mars. The first photos have been sent back by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander, and it shows a polygonal cracking pattern, something seen in permafrost terrains on Earth. The distinct cracking is believed to happen due to seasonal freezing and thawing. According to Peter H. Smith, the missions's principal investigator,

“I guarantee it. There’s ice under this surface,It doesn’t look like it. You don’t see ice, but it’s down there.”

Phoenix will dig down to the ice layer and extract a sample for examination. The examination involves heating the sample to 1,800 degrees and analyzing the vapors. This could provide clues to determine if this regions was ever habitable.

Phoenix's mission is scheduled to last three months, with a possible two month extension. The information retrieved from the Phoenix Mars Lander take us another great step forward in understanding our closest planet neighbor.

Aloha from the Beach

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