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> North pole of Mars

North pole of Mars

author: Nasa/JPL/MSSS/Novapix

reference: a-mar06-00220

Image Size 300 DPI: 11 * 11 cm

This is a wide angle view of the martian north polar cap as it appeared to the Mars Global Surveyor in early northern summer. The picture was acquired on March 13, 1999. The light-toned surfaces are residual water ice that remains through the summer season. The nearly circular band of dark material surrounding the cap consists mainly of sand dunes formed and shaped by wind. The north polar cap is roughly 1100 kilometers (680 miles) across.

Keywords for this photo:

1999 - ASTRONOMY - ICE - MARS - MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR - NORTH POLE - NORTHERN HEMISPHERE - PLANET - POLE -