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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
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Psp_010369_2065_red.jpgScoured Crater Rim (possible True Colors; credits: Lunar Explorer Italia)58 visiteMars Local Time: 15:30 (middle afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 26,3° North Lat. and 304,3° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 290,2 Km (such as about 181,4 miles)
Original image scale range: 29 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~87 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 8,1°
Phase Angle: 57,9°
Solar Incidence Angle: 50° (meaning that the Sun is about 40° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 140,7° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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Psp_010434_1575_red.jpgFan at Valley Mouth (possible True Colors; credits: Lunar Explorer Italia)54 visiteThis image shows the intersection of a Valley with the floor of a large Impact Crater. The Valley appears to have transported sediment that was deposited on the Crater Floor when the flow slowed. As the Eastern side of the lobate deposit appears to have been sheared off, it is possible that continuing flow from the valley eroded into its own deposits.
The deposit is noticeably different in color from the crater floor, indicating that the Valley transported different sediments. Since the large crater is shallow, likely due to infilling, this suggests that multiple sources of sediment and perhaps multiple deposition processes have affected the geology at this site.
The deposited material in the lobe at the Valley Mouth displays some interesting textural features. Small boulders are commonly present on its surface. This may demonstrate relatively energetic deposition as in a flash flood, although it is possible that the boulders are superimposed debris from later impact craters.
The Southern End of the deposit is also fracturing into blocks or slabs. These could be relics of old mud cracks, or of thermal contraction cracks formed in Permafrost.
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Mars Local Time: 15:42 (middle afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 22,4° South Lat. and 336,3° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 259,3 Km (such as about 162,1 miles)
Original image scale range: 25,9 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~78 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 2,6°
Phase Angle: 68,2°
Solar Incidence Angle: 66° (meaning that the Sun is about 24° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 143,2° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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Psp_010589_1510_red.jpgLayered Deposits North of Hellas Basin (Natural Colors; credits: Lunar Explorer Italia)54 visiteMars Local Time: 15:47 (middle afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 28,7° South Lat. and 65,5° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 258,4 Km (such as about 161,5 miles)
Original image scale range: 51,7 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~1,55 mt across are resolved
Map projected scale: 50 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 0,3°
Phase Angle: 68,8°
Solar Incidence Angle: 69° (meaning that the Sun is about 21° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 149,3° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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Psp_010624_2045_red.jpgFresh Impact Crater (Natural Colors; credits: Lunar Explorer Italia)57 visiteMars Local Time: 15:34 (middle afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 24,1° North Lat. and 182,5° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 291,6 Km (such as about 182,3 miles)
Original image scale range: 29,2 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~88 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 7,9°
Phase Angle: 59,9°
Solar Incidence Angle: 52° (meaning that the Sun is about 38° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 150,7° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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Psp_010656_2170_red.jpgThe "Omega" Crater of Ismenius Lacus (possible True Colors; credits: Lunar Explorer Italia)55 visite
Per gli amanti dei Misteri Orbitali e delle possibili "Forme Assonanti" (con questa definizione si intendono tutti i rilievi superficiali situati su mondi extraterrestri i quali, in ragione della loro distanza dal punto di osservazione, o per motivi oggettivi - ex.: affinità morfologica -, o per entrambe le ragioni, richiamano alla mente dell'Osservatore dei rilievi superficiali artificiali che sono individuabili sulla Terra), ecco a Voi il (piccolo) "Cratere Omega".
Il nome del cratere (battezzato da noi e quindi, ufficialmente, ancora "Unnamed") lo abbiamo scelto in ragione della sua forma inequivocabile (che ricorda una "Omega", appunto), ma il mistero che lo caratterizza è dato da almeno due eccellenti motivi: 1) la sua forma (che è - quasi - perfettamente circolare e 2) la lacuna di rim sul suo versante Nord (Sx dell'Osservatore).
Una lacuna decisamente bizzarra non solo perchè i suoi margini sono smussati e regolari (vedere per credere!), ma anche perchè, se si fosse trattato - come è comunque probabile che sia - di un cedimento naturale, allora c'è davvero da chiedersi che fine avranno mai fatto i detriti derivati dal crollo...
Insomma: se si vuole, se c'è pazienza nella ricerca e nello studio, se si possiede un pizzico di immaginzione e, soprattutto, se e quando si OSSERVA BENE, di rilievi superifciali ambigui (come minimo) se ne possono trovare OVUNQUE!
Ed è quest'ultimo dato (la localizzazione: OVUNQUE) che ci spinge, talvolta, a ritenere che le storie sull'esistenza di una possibile - ma antichissima - Civiltà Marziana potrebbero possedere un minimo di sostanza (comunque ancora tutta da ricercare e dimostrare, DIMENTICANDO - se possibile - Cydonia Mensae).
MareKromium
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Psp_010661_1780_red.jpgShield Volcano with Leveed Channels in Noctis Fossae (possible Natural Colors; credits: Lunar Explorer Italia)55 visiteMars Local Time: 15:42 (middle afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 1,9° South Lat. and 256,3° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 258,3 Km (such as about 161,4 miles)
Original image scale range: 51,7 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~1,55 mt across are resolved
Map projected scale: 50 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 0,9°
Phase Angle: 56,2°
Solar Incidence Angle: 57° (meaning that the Sun is about 33° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 152,2° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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Psp_010679_2205_red.jpgEquator-Facing Slope with Gullies (Natural Colors; credits: Lunar Explorer Italia)54 visiteMars Local Time: 15:37 (middle afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 40,3° North Lat. and 120,2° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 304,2 Km (such as about 190,1 miles)
Original image scale range: 60,9 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~1,83 mt across are resolved
Map projected scale: 50 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 8,8°
Phase Angle: 47,2°
Solar Incidence Angle: 56° (meaning that the Sun is about 34° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 152,9° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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Psp_010689_2025_red~0.jpgTectonic Fissure (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunexit Team)132 visiteThis image of a region East of Tooting Crater is centered on a Tectonic Fissure West of the Olympus Mons Aureole. Three other Channel Systems formed along it.
The feature of note is a broad shallow Channel System exhibiting a braided pattern that abruptly changes to a steep walled channel system near the Fissure.
These steep walled channel systems are thought to be formed when ground water flowing out along a cliff undermines the slope resulting in collapse of overlying materials. Erosion then typically moves in a headward direction along the pre-existing shallow Channel System. This process is known as "Groundwater Sapping".
There are other places on Mars (such as Cerberus Fossae), where these fissures appear to have flood channels associated with them.
Within this channel there is a more resistant, cliff-forming layer near the surface with some defined horizontal Strata (such as Layers). Multiple Dark Streaks known as slope streaks originate from the base of this hard layer. Slope Streaks are generally dark when first formed and then gradually fade over time. The origin of these Slope Streaks is still under debate, but they are thought to be dry Dust Avalanches.
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Mars Local Time: 15:38 (middle afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 22,1° North Lat. and 208,7° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 286,2 Km (such as about 178,9 miles)
Original image scale range: 57,3 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~1,72 mt across are resolved
Map projected scale: 50 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 0,8°
Phase Angle: 53,9°
Solar Incidence Angle: 53° (meaning that the Sun is about 37° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 153,3° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunar Explorer Italia MareKromium
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Psp_010695_2225_red.jpgFlow near the Central Peak of Moreux Crater (possible True Colors; credits: Lunar Explorer Italia)53 visiteThis image is of a flow feature within Moreux Crater, located at about 42° North Lat. and 44,6° East Long., on the edge of Mars’ Highlands/Lowlands Boundary. The Crater itself is roughly 135 Km in diameter.
During the impact that forms craters, a roughly bowl shaped volume is excavated from the Martian Crust. In craters larger than about 7 Km in diameter, a Central Peak (or Mound) forms on the floor of the crater. This image focuses on a portion of the Moreux Central Peak that apparently broke off and slid away, forming a type of Giant Landslide.
Interesting hummocks, swirls and ridges are found on the surface of the Landslide. There are also distinct, almost circular depressions of unknown origin near the foot of the flow.
Both light and dark toned dunes later formed on this landform.
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Mars Local Time: 15:43 (middle afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 42,0° North Lat. and 44,7° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 322,4 Km (such as about 201,5 miles)
Original image scale range: 32,2 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~97 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 22,5°
Phase Angle: 35,7°
Solar Incidence Angle: 58° (meaning that the Sun is about 32° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 153,6° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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Psp_010744_1840_red.jpgSouthern Margin of Cerberus Palus (Natural Colors; credits: Lunar Explorer Italia)53 visiteMars Local Time: 15:41 (middle afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 4,0° North Lat. and 149,0° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 274,8 Km (such as about 171,7 miles)
Original image scale range: 27,5 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~82 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 4,8°
Phase Angle: 59,7°
Solar Incidence Angle: 55° (meaning that the Sun is about 35° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 155,6° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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Psp_010829_1880_red.jpgFlat-topped Sinuous Ridge contacting Pedestal Crater (possible Natural Colors; credits: Lunar Explorer Italia)54 visiteMars Local Time: 15:42 (middle afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 7,8° North Lat. and 348,2° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 276,2 Km (such as about 172,6 miles)
Original image scale range: 27,6 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~83 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 1,3°
Phase Angle: 56,3°
Solar Incidence Angle: 55° (meaning that the Sun is about 35° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 159,0° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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Q-Q-PIA08030.jpgThe Atmosphere of Mars64 visiteThe Mars Climate Sounder, an instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter designed to monitor daily changes in the global atmosphere of Mars, made its first observations of Mars on March 24, 2006.
These tests were conducted to demonstrate that the instrument could, if needed, support the mission's aerobraking maneuvers (dips into the atmosphere to change the shape of the orbit) by providing hemisphere-scale coverage of atmospheric activity. The instrument scanned nine arrays of detectors four times across the entire disc of the planet, including the north pole, from an altitude of about 45,000 kilometers (28,000 miles). This is about 150 times farther away than the spacecraft will be during its main science phase. At this great range, the planet appears only 40 pixels wide, as suggested by the pixilation of the images. However, this is sufficient to identify regional dust storms in the lower atmosphere. Regional dust storms could perturb atmospheric densities at the higher altitudes (about 100 kilometers or 60 miles) where the orbiter will conduct more than 500 aerobraking passes during the next six months. Such storms are rare in the current season on Mars, early northern spring, and no large storms are present as the orbiter prepares for the start of aerobraking.
Each of the Mars Climate Sounder's arrays looks in a different wavelength band, and three of the resulting images are shown here. The view on the left is from data collected in a broad spectral band (wavelengths of 0.3 microns to 3 microns) for reflected sunlight. The view in the center is from data collected in the 12-micron thermal-infrared band. This band was chosen to sense infrared radiation from the surface when the atmosphere is clear and from dust clouds when it is not. The view on the right is from data collected at 15 microns, a longer-wavelength band still in the thermal-infrared part of the spectrum. At this wavelength, carbon dioxide, the main ingredient in Mars' atmosphere, hides the surface emission, and the thermal-infrared radiation comes only from the atmosphere.
The visible-and-near-infrared image (left) is bright where surface ice and atmospheric hazes reflect sunlight back to space. The view is of the northern half of Mars, with the north polar cap visible as the bright semicircle at upper left. The night half of the planet (lower left) is dark. The "terminator" boundary between the day side and night side of the planet cuts from lower left to upper right, through the polar area. During the science phase of the mission, after the spacecraft has shrunk its orbit to a nearly circular loop approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles) above the surface, these visible-and-near-infrared readings by the Mars Climate Sounder will track how the amount of solar energy reflected from Mars varies from place-to-place and season-to-season, particularly in the polar regions where absorbed sunlight vaporizes the seasonal carbon-dioxide ice.
The 12-micron image (center) indicates that heat is being emitted from both the day side and the night side of the planet. The polar cap is dark in this image because it is cold (minus 190 degrees Fahrenheit) and emits less heat than surrounding areas. During the science phase of the mission, the thermal-infrared readings at this wavelength by Mars Climate Sounder will be used to track dust and clouds in the atmosphere. In the current season on Mars, the atmosphere is relatively clear except for an equatorial belt of thin water-ice clouds present in the visible-and-near-infrared image, and so the 12-micron image is dominated by the infrared radiation from the surface on the relatively hot dayside (upper right).
The 15-micron image (right) indicates the temperatures of the atmosphere at an altitude of about 25 kilometers (15 miles), where there is not much temperature difference even between the night side and the day side of the planet. The polar atmosphere is colder, so it appears darker.
Once deployed in a low-altitude, nearly circular orbit next fall, the Mars Climate Sounder will systematically alternate views of the surface with views of the atmosphere above the limb (horizon) of the planet from the surface to an altitude of 80 kilometers (50 miles), with a vertical resolution of 5 kilometers (3 miles). In this way it will monitor atmospheric and surface changes through a full annual cycle to characterize the present climate of Mars.
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