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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
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ESP_028957_2085-PCF-LXTT-IPF-00B.jpgFeatures of Nilosyrtis Mensae (CTX Frame "B" - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)83 visiteMars Local Time: 15:34 (Middle Afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 28,286° North Lat. and 75,424° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 287,8 Km (such as about 179,9 miles)
Original image scale range: 28,8 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~ 86 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 8,5°
Sun-Mars-MRO (or "Phase") Angle: 50,4°
Solar Incidence Angle: 59° (meaning that the Sun was about 31° above the Local Horizon of the imaged Region, at the time that the picture was taken)
Solar Longitude: 180,1° (Northern Autumn - Southern Spring)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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ESP_028957_2085-PCF-LXTT-IPF-01.jpgInteresting Surface Feature in Nilosyrtis Mensae (EDM - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga - Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)71 visiteNilosyrtis Mensae is an ancient Terrain with a wonderful variety of Landforms and Rock Types. And so: what is this Circular Landform? It probably got its shape from an Impact Crater long ago, but was subsequently eroded and filled in, and then eroded again, so that now it is something like a "Low Mesa", surrounded by a Boulder-rich Geological Unit.
Mars Local Time: 15:34 (Middle Afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 28,286° North Lat. and 75,424° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 287,8 Km (such as about 179,9 miles)
Original image scale range: 28,8 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~ 86 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 8,5°
Sun-Mars-MRO (or "Phase") Angle: 50,4°
Solar Incidence Angle: 59° (meaning that the Sun was about 31° above the Local Horizon of the imaged Region, at the time that the picture was taken)
Solar Longitude: 180,1° (Northern Autumn - Southern Spring)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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ESP_028962_1645-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgFeatures of Coprates Chasma (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)102 visiteMars Local Time: 15:39 (Middle Afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 15,450° South Lat. and 303,273° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 260,5 Km (such as about 162,8 miles)
Original image scale range: 52,1 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~ 1 mt and 56 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 50 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 5,5°
Phase Angle: 61,5°
Solar Incidence Angle: 56° (meaning that the Sun was about 34° above the Local Horizon of the imaged Region, at the time that the picture was taken)
Solar Longitude: 180,3° (Northern Autumn - Southern Spring)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer ItaliaMareKromium
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ESP_029516_1730-PCF-LXTT-IPF-2.jpgFeatures of Hydrae Chasma (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)82 visiteHydrae Chasma is a deep, almost Circular Depression approximately 50 Km across, situated between Juventae Chasma (to the North) and the large Canyon System known as Valles Marineris (to the South). This Chasma (---> Abyss) has steep Walls, flanked by numerous Landslides and a massive Scarp along its Southern Boundary, just where the Surface has collapsed into the Depression.
The EDM shows us an isolated flat-topped and small Mountain (known as a "Mesa") rising out of a Sea of Dunes located in the center of Hydrae Chasma. Darker-toned Dunes, likely composed of Basaltic Sands, form an Apron along the base of the Mesa's Northern Margin. The Western Side of the Mesa is gently sloping and is composed of a highly fractured light-toned Rubbly Base. It is overlaid by alternating light and dark Layered Cliff-forming Units and is covered by a Sediment Cap containing still more Dunes.
The Layered Sequences are present only in the Interior Deposits and not in the Walls of the Chasma. Similar Deposits can also be found on the Floor of the Valles Marineris Canyon System, as well as in other Chasmata (like Juventae, for instance), and may represent the Sedimentary Remnants of ancient (relatively) deep and quiet (---> with probably minimal Internal Streams) Martian Lakes that formed, eons ago, within all these Canyon and Depression Systems and which, in (a, likely, extremely long) time, slowly disappeared (---> evaporated, sublimed or just froze).
Mars Local Time: 15:39 (Middle Afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 6,825° South Lat. and 297,987° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 268,4 Km (such as about 167,8 miles)
Original image scale range: 26,9 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~ 81 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 8,5°
Phase Angle: 45,9°
Solar Incidence Angle: 54° (meaning that the Sun was about 36° above the Local Horizon at the time the picture was taken)
Solar Longitude: 205,5° (Northern Autumn - Southern Spring)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer Italia
These two pictures (which are a NASA - Original Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter CTX b/w frame and an EDM color frame, both identified by the serial n. ESP_029516_1730) have been additionally processed and then colorized and re-colorized (as far as the EDM is concerned), respectively, in Absolute Natural Colors (such as the colors that a human eye would actually perceive if someone were onboard the NASA - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and then looked down, towards the Surface of Mars), by using an original technique created - and, in time, dramatically improved - by the Lunar Explorer Italia Team.MareKromium
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ESP_029660_1350-PCF-LXTT-IPF-2.jpgAsymmetrical Dune (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)95 visiteMars Local Time: 15:44 (Middle Afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 44,715° South Lat. and 331,100° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 255,8 Km (such as about 159,9 miles)
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 1,1°
Phase Angle: 56,1°
Solar Incidence Angle: 57° (meaning that the Sun was about 33° above the Local Horizon of the imaged Region, at the time that the picture was taken)
Solar Longitude: 212,3° (Northern Autumn - Southern Spring)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer Italia MareKromium
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ESP_031268_2115-PCF-LXTT-IPF-0.jpgUnusually-looking Surface Feature (CTX Frame - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)60 visiteThis image, taken by the NASA - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on March 28, 2013, shows us a number of shallow and Irregular Pit-like Features with Raised Rims, all concentrated along Ridges and other Topographic Features (---> Surface Reliefs). How did these unusually-looking Surface Features form? One idea is that they could be the final and visible result of the Sublimation of shallow lenses of nearly pure Ice but, even assuming that this theory is correct, why do the Pits have Raised Rims? So far, nobody was good enough to answer to that question.
If we keep reasoning about the possible nature of these Surface Features, we also have to say that they cannot - reasonably - be just shallow Impact Craters, because such an alignment seems extremely unlikely (and the irregular margins of the alleged "Impact Craters" would be even harder to explain); furthermore, these Landforms cannot even be Wind-blown Deposits of Material because, all the way next to them, can be seen very many Boulders which are way too big (and therefore too heavy!) to be moved simply by the Wind.
As you can see, there are younger Wind-blown Drifts on top of the Pits and, for the time being, we have not found a clear (---> substantiated) connection between these Landforms and some possible Volcanic Phenomenon. However, a few Planetary Scientists speculated that there might have been ancient Oceans over this Region, but could this possibility, even if it is correct, somehow be good to satisfactorily explain these Features? The answer is no. Last, but not least, what we see in this frame could also be the result of an ancient Glaciation where, perhaps, powerful Winds deposited Ice-rich Debris next to Topographic Obstacles.
Future (and closer) images of this Region may provide us with more clues but, for now, this Landforms are still a mystery. Just one of the many, of course...
Mars Local Time: 14:20 (Early Afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 30,959° North Lat. and 339,402° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 293,8 Km (such as about 182,449 miles)
Original image scale range: 58,8 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~ 1 mt and 76 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 50 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 2,6°
Phase Angle: 62,5°
Solar Incidence Angle: 64° (meaning that the Sun was about 26° above the Local Horizon at the time the picture was taken)
Solar Longitude: 290,8° (Northern Winter - Southern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer Italia
This picture (which is a NASA - Original Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter NON-Map Projected EDM b/w frame identified by the serial n. ESP_031268_2115-1) has been additionally processed and then colorized in Absolute Natural Colors (such as the colors that a human eye would actually perceive if someone were onboard the NASA - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and then looked down, towards the Surface of Mars), by using an original technique created - and, in time, dramatically improved - by the Lunar Explorer Italia Team.MareKromium
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ESP_031268_2115-PCF-LXTT-IPF-1.jpgUnusually-looking Surface Feature (EDM - Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color.: Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)56 visiteThis image, taken by the NASA - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on March 28, 2013, shows us a number of shallow and Irregular Pit-like Features with Raised Rims, all concentrated along Ridges and other Topographic Features (---> Surface Reliefs). How did these unusually-looking Surface Features form? One idea is that they could be the final and visible result of the Sublimation of shallow lenses of nearly pure Ice but, even assuming that this theory is correct, why do the Pits have Raised Rims? So far, nobody was good enough to answer to that question.
If we keep reasoning about the possible nature of these Surface Features, we also have to say that they cannot - reasonably - be just shallow Impact Craters, because such an alignment seems extremely unlikely (and the irregular margins of the alleged "Impact Craters" would be even harder to explain); furthermore, these Landforms cannot even be Wind-blown Deposits of Material because, all the way next to them, can be seen very many Boulders which are way too big (and therefore too heavy!) to be moved simply by the Wind.
As you can see, there are younger Wind-blown Drifts on top of the Pits and, for the time being, we have not found a clear (---> substantiated) connection between these Landforms and some possible Volcanic Phenomenon. However, a few Planetary Scientists speculated that there might have been ancient Oceans over this Region, but could this possibility, even if it is correct, somehow be good to satisfactorily explain these Features? The answer is no. Last, but not least, what we see in this frame could also be the result of an ancient Glaciation where, perhaps, powerful Winds deposited Ice-rich Debris next to Topographic Obstacles.
Future (and closer) images of this Region may provide us with more clues but, for now, this Landforms are still a mystery. Just one of the many, of course...
Mars Local Time: 14:20 (Early Afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 30,959° North Lat. and 339,402° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 293,8 Km (such as about 182,449 miles)
Original image scale range: 58,8 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~ 1 mt and 76 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 50 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 2,6°
Phase Angle: 62,5°
Solar Incidence Angle: 64° (meaning that the Sun was about 26° above the Local Horizon at the time the picture was taken)
Solar Longitude: 290,8° (Northern Winter - Southern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer Italia
This picture (which is a NASA - Original Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter NON-Map Projected EDM b/w frame identified by the serial n. ESP_031268_2115-1) has been additionally processed and then colorized in Absolute Natural Colors (such as the colors that a human eye would actually perceive if someone were onboard the NASA - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and then looked down, towards the Surface of Mars), by using an original technique created - and, in time, dramatically improved - by the Lunar Explorer Italia Team.MareKromium
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ESP_032097_1810-PCF-LXTT-IPF.jpgEquatorial Dunefield (Absolute Natural Colors; credits for the additional process. and color. Dr Paolo C. Fienga/Lunar Explorer Italia/Italian Planetary Foundation)118 visiteMars Local Time: 14:08 (Early Afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 1,068° North Lat. and 30,111° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 268,9 Km (such as about 166,986 miles)
Original image scale range: 53,8 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects ~ 1 mt and 61 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 50 cm/pixel
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 0,0°
Phase Angle: 34,9°
Solar Incidence Angle: 35° (meaning that the Sun was about 55° above the Local Horizon at the time the picture was taken)
Solar Longitude: 328,5° (Northern Winter - Southern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
Additional process. and coloring: Lunar Explorer Italia
This picture (which is a NASA - Original Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter NON-Map Projected CTX b/w frame identified by the serial n. ESP_032097_1810) has been additionally processed and then colorized in Absolute Natural Colors (such as the colors that a human eye would actually perceive if someone were onboard the NASA - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and then looked down, towards the Surface of Mars), by using an original technique created - and, in time, dramatically improved - by the Lunar Explorer Italia Team.MareKromium
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ESP_16978_1730-MF-LXTT1.jpgFalling Down... (an Image-Mosaic by Dr Marco Faccin - Lunexit Team)64 visiteThe lower flanks of Arsia Mons, one of the giant volcanoes on Mars, is riddled with Pits of various sizes. These have been of great interest to a number of researchers because they have the potential to be openings into underground caverns.
Such caverns have some potential for holding ice and offer protection from radiation and small meteorites. These are good things if one is looking for a safe place for current life on Mars or future human life.
However, this image shows some of the pitfalls of such hopes. Most of these pits are largely filled with rubble and dust that hide any potential links to larger underground areas. Furthermore, the entrances are steep and rocky, making them difficult areas to traverse. They would be a very exciting, if not safe, place to visit!MareKromium
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ESP_16978_1730-MF-LXTT2.jpgFalling Down... (High-Def-3D; credits: Dr Marco Faccin - Lunexit Team)71 visiteAcquisition date: 11 March 2010
Local Mars Time (m.l.t.): 15:07 (early afternoon)
Latitude (centered): 6,8° South
Longitude: 236,6° East
Range to target site: 255,4 km (159,6 miles)
Original image scale range: 25,6 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~77 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel and North is up
Map projection: EQUIRECTANGULAR
Emission Angle: 1,5°
Phase Angle: 53,2 °
Solar Incidence Angle (S.I.A.): 54° - meaning that the Sun is about 36° above the Local Horizon
Solar Longitude: 62,5° (Northern Spring)MareKromium
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Elysium_Planitia-Tra_000867_1875_red-00.jpgElysium Planitia (CTX Frame - False Colors)54 visiteA low, sinuous tectonic ridge ("wrinkle ridge") can be seen in the South-East (lower left) and a rough-textured flow (lava?) fills the North-West (upper right) part of the image. Terraces that may have been carved by floodwaters are visible on the Southeastern side of the contact between the wrinkle ridge and the flow.
On the Northwestern side of this contact, the flow itself has a banded appearance reminiscent of contour lines or bathtub rings. It may be that long ago, when the flow was mobile, its surface level dropped, leaving these bands as indicators of how high it once stood. Alternatively, the bands could be buried terraces draped by the rough-textured flow. Relatively straight and narrow dunes (about 10 mt wide) have marched across the surface of the flow, and a thin layer of light-toned dust blankets the region. A dark spot about 100 mt in diameter on the left side of the image is probably where a cluster of small impacts blew away the dust, revealing the darker shade of the underlying surface.MareKromium
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Elysium_Planitia-Tra_000867_1875_red-01.jpgFresh Crater Cluster in Elysium Planitia (EDM - False Colors)54 visiteImage TRA_000867_1875 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on October 3, 2006. The complete image is centered at 7,4° North Latitude and 157,3 East longitude. The range to the target site was 274,6 Km (171,6 miles).
At this distance the image scale ranges from 54,9 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) to 109,9 cm/pixel (with 4 x 4 binning).
The image has been map-projected to 50 cm/pixel and north is to the right.
The image was taken at a Local Mars Time of 3:26 PM and the scene is illuminated from the West with a solar incidence angle of 52°, thus the Sun was about 38° above the horizon.
At a Solar Longitude of 115,1°, the season on Mars is Northern Summer.MareKromium
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