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> Mars north pole

Mars north pole

author: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Novapix

reference: a-mar06-00223

Image Size 300 DPI: 16 * 13 cm

The ice-rich north polar cap (the quasi-circular white area at center) is approximately 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) across. The white cap is riven with dark, spiral-shaped bands. These are deep troughs that are in shadow. They do not reflect sunlight as well or have more internal layers exposed. To the right of center, a large canyon, Chasma Boreale, almost bisects the ice cap. Chasma Boreale is about the length of the United States' famous Grand Canyon and up to 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) deep. The image synthesizes topographic data from Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) and images from the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC).

Keywords for this photo:

ASTRONOMY - ICE - MARS - MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR - NORTH POLE - PLANET - POLE -