First Color HiRISE Image of Mars
As promised, and hot off the presses — behold the new images just released from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
The first color shot from the HiRISE Instrument:
Note: this is just a quick, tiny crop of the very top of the image, since there’s really no effective way of displaying it on my page. It’s HUGE. Follow the links provided to the larger versions — they’re amazing!
Image Credit: NASA / JPL / University of Arizona
This is the first color image of Mars from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. At the center portion of the camera’s array of light detectors there are extra detectors to image in green and near-infrared color bandpasses, to be combined with the black-and-white images (from red-bandpass detectors) to create color images. This is not natural color as seen by human eyes, but infrared color — shifted to longer wavelengths. This image also has been processed to enhance subtle color variations. The southern half of the scene is brighter and bluer than the northern half, perhaps due to early-morning fog in the atmosphere. Large-scale streaks in the northern half are due to the action of wind on surface materials. The blankets of material ejected from the many small fresh craters are generally brighter and redder than the surrounding surface, but a few are darker and less red. Two greenish spots in the middle right of the scene may have an unusual composition, and are good future targets for the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars, a mineral-identifying instrument on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (http://crism.jhuapl.edu/). In the bottom half of the image we see a redder color in the rough areas, where wind and sublimation of water or carbon dioxide ice have partially eroded patches of smooth-textured deposits.
This image was taken by HiRISE on March 24, 2006. The image is centered at 33.65 degrees south latitude, 305.07 degrees east longitude. It is oriented such that north is 7 degrees to the left of up. The range to the target was 2,493 kilometers (1,549 miles). At this distance the image scale is 2.49 meters (8.17 feet) per pixel, so objects as small as 7.5 meters (24.6 feet) are resolved. In total this image is 49.92 kilometers (31.02 miles) or 20,081 pixels wide and 23.66 kilometers (14.70 miles) or 9,523 pixels long. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 07:33 and the scene is illuminated from the upper right with a solar incidence angle of 78 degrees, thus the sun was 12 degrees above the horizon. At an Ls of 29 degrees (with Ls an indicator of Mars’ position in its orbit around the sun), the season on Mars is southern autumn.
From NASA’s Planetary Photojournal:
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3048 x 9280 (4.8 Mb)
From the MRO Page:
3048 x 9280, full resolution (32 Mb)
Next:
Image Credit: NASA / JPL / University of Arizona
This perspective view generated from digital topography provides an overview of the Mars terrain covered in the first color image of Mars from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. It has a field of view 55 degrees wide, and no vertical exaggeration. The overview illustrates how the ridge has deformed several valleys and impact craters.
The image is a subset of the first HiRISE image from Mars, PIA08014 which was taken on March 24, 2006.
3000 x 2299 (975 kb)
And, lastly — as with the first image, this is just a small crop from a much larger one:
Image Credit: NASA / JPL / University of Arizona
This image shows part of a low mountain belt that rings the Argyre impact basin in Mars’ southern hemisphere. The mountains or hills seen here are located in the northwestern part of the Charitum Montes. Taken just minutes after the sun had risen over the horizon, only the sun-facing slopes are well illuminated and much of the scene is in shadow, but the camera has nevertheless captured many details of the surface that are only dimly illuminated. There are terrains that are both smooth and rough at this scale (2.94 meters or 9.65 feet per pixel). The rough terrain is littered with blocks roughly 10 meters (30 feet) across, and the smooth material has a uniform appearance broken by subtle, undulating ridges. The rough terrains usually occur at relatively high elevations, and smooth material occupies the lowest areas. In some locations it is evident that boulders from the rough terrain have tumbled downhill onto the smooth material. The smooth material is younger than the rough terrain, and some of it may have formed when water-rich or ice-rich debris flooded low-lying areas. In other areas the smooth material mantles the topography like deposits of airborne dust. Further upslope, the mountain flanks have a variety of rough textures. In places the terrain has been eroded into streamlined forms and striations, suggestive of glacial erosion. Gullies formed in one spot near bottom center. Perhaps the most striking aspect of this image is the dearth of fresh impact craters. The Argyre basin is thought to be billions of years old, but much more recent processes have greatly modified the surface.
From NASA’s Planetary Photojournal:
621 x 1609 (107 kb)
1024 x 2653 (327 kb)
Pretty spiffy, eh? Well, this is just a taste of what’s to come. MRO will complete the complex, six-month-long aerobraking process to enter its intended science orbit by this fall. As noted in the captions for these images, they were taken from the spacecfaft at distances up to 7.5 times farther from the Martian surface than we’ll see when full science operations commence.
The first image, for example, at that distance lists a scale of 2.49 meters per pixel; the HiRISE camera’s optimum resolution will end up yielding about 30 centimeters per pixel. That’s also roughly a five-fold improvement over the resolution offered by the Mars Orbital Camera on MGS. I can’t wait for November!
Just… wow.
Additional resolutions of all three images have been posted on the HiROC page.
Added 11:14 PM CDT:
The HiROC website had noted earlier in the day that subsequent images would be released (beyond what’s been listed above); they were slightly delayed, apparently, and went live this evening while I was off taking care of other things.
These images include the color section of the first image taken of Mars by HiRISE, a new version of the entire image in black-and-white (Red CCDs), and some computer-generated 3D perspectives of the surface of Mars.
So, here they are! The additional 3D perspective shots at the bottom are fantastic.
There are some additional views posted outside the HiROC site below:
A Myriad of Geologic Processes in Terra Cimmeria
Twilight Imaging of Kepler Crater Floor
Sample of Mid-latitude Southern Highlands
Landscape Northeast of Halley Crater
Landscape West of Bosporos Rupes
I’m also really liking the first topographic map they’ve constructed:
Image Credit: NASA / JPL / University of Arizona / USGS
This is a topographic map of part of the area covered by the first image of Mars obtained by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. The image was processed at the U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, by a technique called photoclinometry (or, more descriptively, “shape-from-shading”). This method allows elevations to be reconstructed from a single image by noting how surfaces sloping toward the sun appear brighter than areas that slope away from it. This image is almost ideal for such interpretation because the low sun angle reveals even subtle slopes with dramatic contrast, and variations in the brightness of surface materials (which could be confused with slopes) are minimal.
Check out the much larger, annotated version (3300 x 2550, 2.9 Mb) — the squashed incarnation I’ve included above just doesn’t do justice. As a fan of geology, a topo view like this very much lends a useful degree of perspective, particularly when confronting an unfamiliar landscape (let alone on another planet).
In reviewing these first major releases - and there’s a lot to take in - my first and foremost thought is upon how much this mission will refine our understanding of the Martian surface in coming years. Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey have performed beautifully, allowing us to take in previously unseen details and features. MRO’s future observations will raise the bar significantly — in some ways it will be like exploring a new world for the first time, and I find the ongoing exploration exceptionally exciting.
Take a moment to ponder what the future holds.
Further reading:
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Wow, those are great…so glad I looked at them at work. The first one is really outstanding–the craters look so DEEP. Can’t wait for more!
Good job on this and the other topics on the blog. It will be very exciting to see the upcomming images from HiRISE. I have to admit I have been too busy to follow-up on this latest mission to Mars, but thanks to these images I will make a special trip this weekend to the official website.
By the way, thanks for the link to my site - Astronomy Online. I will have to return the favor - adding this link to my Blog as the information here is top notch.
Thanks for the kind words, Ricky — I enjoy your page as well, it’s a very handy resource.
Well, my neighbors woke me up–first the two girls yapping on the porch, then the two guys…until 3:30. Thanks for reminding me that’s it’s CDT, not CST as I wrote today. But this is a good time as any to look at the images again, and the first color one at the top loads just fine on my dial-up. I love that photo–it just fascinates me. Too, those bright sunlit slopes actually make me squint…odd. I looked at Emily’s blog as well (she was my Deep Impact hero). The dual topographic map was real slow to load, but I like that JPL is writing in a very easy-to-understand manner as well as including feet along with meters; I still visualize in feet/miles for a sense of perspective. What I like to know is how large each of the craters are–some sense of scale. I really don’t care to think in feet per pixel (that’s what the math guys are for
)
I’ve already pondered what the future holds, and it should hold some awesome x 2 images. Have you seen that interactive Mars page with the spacecraft and hypothetical base plans? I’ll have to go dig that up. These images make that look more like reality.
It’s such a beautiful, stark landscape that certainly makes one appreciate trees. When I look at these photos I tend to think of how much we have going on here; the utter loneliness of the Earth in our solar system that is devoid of living things as we know it…so far. Yet there’s so much action going on out there. You know what I’d like to see up close on a planet? A storm, lightning–something like that, something moving. Or like comet Shoemaker-Levy, but really close up. (Lol, ok, I see the problem with that, just kidding.)
Mars is a sentimental favorite because I did a book report on it in 4th grade. I chose it because I saw a book in the school library titled, “Mars: The Red Planet” and red was my favorite color, so I was drawn to it. What was that, 1974? It’s amazing where we’ve come from that simple children’s book. My mother saved some pathetic poem from ‘74, “In the night with the moon so bright we ever see the stars, especially the Mars…”It gets more pathetic. Too, that year was the first time I looked through a telescope at my mother’s college observatory. My mom dragged us everywhere including her school–we thought all the students so “groovy.” (Yes, we still used that term.) I remember getting my chance to look through the scope at the Milky Way and being sort of confused–like where’s this been hiding out? I didn’t grasp the enormity of it all, and I was politely asked to let someone else have a turn, lol. Now look at what we’ve got in images. Pretty neat stuff.
Thanks Wolve.
(babbling completed)
Hey, just to let you know, after I hit submit I’m getting a fatal error page, whatever that means.
Sorry about that — something in my anti-spam software got touchy after you started using a different e-mail address, and it held a few of your comments in a moderation queue instead of posting them directly. I’m pretty sure I’ve successfully called off the dogs, but if it gives you any more headaches just let me know.
Oh btw, if my early-morning ramblings annoying clog up your pages, I won’t be hurt if you delete them, especially those that stray from science. Just so you know. It’s very easy for me to just go on…and…on…zzzzzzzzz.
Busy…hmm…getting more pictures….
BTW, yesterday I bought the PST. It was only $518.80 with 3-day FedEx. I’m so psyched. Now I’ll get to bore everybody with talking about sunspots, and prominences, and…my cat has his head under the refridgerator…he puts everything under it and the stove…the other one is chewing my PC wires. They’re psycho. (runs in the family, huh?)
Thx for the fix. I have four other email addys if that one doesn’t work. I try to spread the spam love around.
BTW, I call porn spam “sporn.” If anyone else calls it that, I didn’t know about it. It’s MY word…like my use of the slang “alot.” I noticed you and Phil had a lot highlighted, but I prefer the slang version much as I do with “email,” which I’ve been lobbying for a few years now. “A lot” reminds me of drawing lots (the O.E. in me) or “Salem’s Lot.” It doesn’t speak of quantity to me, so I like “alot” alot better than” a lot.” Just so you know, I feel entitled to use the English language as I fancy…though nobody else is allowed to, except perhaps, David Foster Wallace.
No worries at all about the varied comments — if I didn’t want people to type what’s on their minds I’d have disabled them. Feel free to talk about whatever you like.
Congrats on the PST! I expect a full report of course.
About spam (and sporn… love the term!)– actually I’ve only gotten one actual sporn attempt… the usual fare has been people peddling medication or online casinos. I’ll make sure the site likes whatever email you choose, so if this works for you and you like it, stick with it.
very nice photos are here, it was looking a vertual visit eye to eye of mars.
well, in the very first image there is a green shade on the mars, so what it indicates? or red+green combination is mostly can be seen on mars?
sunil
Thanks, considering that so few people are here, my babble probably makes up for several people. More people should come here–you’re right on time with the images and they look so good against a dark background. (I still need to work on my Comet Tempel 1 picture…ahem.)
All the sporn goes to Bulk in Yahoo. I do very little shopping online–mostly Amazon, recently Orion (stupid L-adaptor!) and the telescope place. I never go to porn sites, unless by accident, but I’ve gotten on some lists, and I apparently need Viagra–I wasn’t aware that I had ED. I’m just mad that my Yahoo address with my whole name is getting sporn–wanted to keep it clean.
BTW, it’s cold here today! It must be in Spiceyland. Didn’t know it until I opened my window. There are no campsites available–I waited too long to reserve one. That means I’d have to either pull an all-nighter and park near the observatory or be sneaky. It’s going to be chilly tonight…I might wimp out and go see the Akira Kurosawa movie, “Dersu Uzala.” It’s part of the “environmental film festival” theme at the MFA. (I’ve been neglecting film lately, probably everything, for that matter.) You ought to see “Darwin’s Nightmare” sometime…depressing Africa, it’s a bit of an eye-opener. Not great, but worth seeing.
Somebody on BAUT thought I would take images with the PST–he said he couldn’t wait to see them, but I never had that intention. I’m more interested in animal/landscape/architecture photography; it would take me some time (and money) to get to a decent point and it really doesn’t interest me to do that. I enjoy others’ photos that are so far ahead of the game. I just renewed S&T, and bought that extra little mag “Beautiful Universe,” or whatever. I never tire of looking at astro-images. I’ve always been into photography; I have quite a few coffee-table books. I do need to scan old pictures I took with my deceased camera, though I really don’t care too much about displaying them–it’s more about the act of taking them for me. Pictures are sitting in boxes, except the few online to show people life-history things.
*Oh, and there are creepy people in this realm who are not quite of this Earth. Just want you to know that. Boggles my mind.
Sunil,
You may have missed this amidst the awe of the picture, but the green coloring they speak of here:
“there are extra detectors to image in green and near-infrared color bandpasses, to be combined with the black-and-white images (from red-bandpass detectors) to create color images. This is not natural color as seen by human eyes, but infrared color — shifted to longer wavelengths”
I wish we COULD see Mars with our eyes, and perhaps we will some day.
I’m sure we’ll be seeing some natural color images before the end of the year. Looking most forward to it.
Also, in time, I’m hoping more folks will come share their thoughts here. The site is still relatively new and is just now starting to get a little more exposure, so hopefully we’ll see more traffic.
Also, in time, I’m hoping more folks will come share their thoughts here. The site is still relatively new and is just now starting to get a little more exposure, so hopefully we’ll see more traffic.
Personally, it wouldn’t make a difference to me. I converse enough on BAUT, then there’s Phil’s blog, and my own little board which I have been fairly absent from as of late. I don’t know how people visit lots of blogs–every once in a while I’ll post something on someone’s blog and then not look at for months. Really, between BAUT, Phil’s blog, You and my board, that’s more than enough talking and reading! Way too much PC time as it is…(and yeah, I’m feeling really guilty about it).
But, I’m sure YOU would like more people to see your work, so just let me know if I scare anyone away, and I’ll close my bouche. (My French teacher in high school used to yell out to me in class, “[Solar], fermez la bouche!!” But she liked me anyway.) :-0