NASA, Microsoft Reveal Mars In Pictures
As Earth's closest neighbor and with an atmosphere more similar to Earth's than any other planet in the solar system, Mars has long been a subject of great interest to astronomers and the public. NASA began exploring Mars with unmanned spacecraft in the 1970s, and the space agency hopes to eventually send a human to the Red Planet. In March 2009, NASA and Microsoft partnered under a Space Act Agreement to make images of Mars and other planets available through Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope, an
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A view of Mars taken by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The Orbiter was launched in August 2005 to search the surface of the moon for evidence of the existence of water. It's equipped with a camera and other instrumentation used to analyze and record its scientific findings. The Orbiter's camera is capable of recording objects as small as a dinner plate, as well as gullies, channels, and other surface characteristics that could determine suitability for future landing sites. HiRISE images are taken from an altitude of 125 to 250 miles above the surface of the planet.
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A panoramic view of the surface of Mars taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit during its mission to the planet.
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Utopia Plantia is the largest recognized impact basin on Mars. The Viking 2 lander touched down here and began exploring in 1976.
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Olympus Mons on Mars is the tallest known volcano and mountain in the solar system. It's nearly three times as tall as Mount Everest.
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Valles Marineris, or Mariner Valleys, is the largest known canyon in the solar system, larger than any on Earth. Its name comes from the Mariner 9 Mars orbiter that discovered it. Mariner 9 orbited the planet from 1971 to 1972.
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A volcanic vent on the surface of Mars near the Athabasca Valles, taken from the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Vents are flat, linear cracks in the surface of a volcano through which lava emerges.
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A view of Mars' other neighbor, Jupiter, with Mars in the background. Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System and is what is known as a "gas giant," because it is primarily composed of hydrogen, with a quarter of the planet composed of helium.
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A view of Mars' other neighbor, Jupiter, with Mars in the background. Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System and is what is known as a "gas giant," because it is primarily composed of hydrogen, with a quarter of the planet composed of helium.
SEE ALSO:
NASA, Microsoft Offer Visual Tour Of Mars
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NASA Leverages Amazon Cloud For Mars Rover
A view of Mars taken by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The Orbiter was launched in August 2005 to search the surface of the moon for evidence of the existence of water. It's equipped with a camera and other instrumentation used to analyze and record its scientific findings. The Orbiter's camera is capable of recording objects as small as a dinner plate, as well as gullies, channels, and other surface characteristics that could determine suitability for future landing sites. HiRISE images are taken from an altitude of 125 to 250 miles above the surface of the planet.
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