Mars: A Colorful Landslide in Eos Chasma | NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

Mars: A Colorful Landslide in Eos Chasma | NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

This image was requested in the very first month of NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Primary Science Phase, Nov. 2006. Due to many competing targets in the Valles Marineris canyon system, it took nearly 15 years to acquire. However, it was worth the wait!

A massive landslide has transported diverse rocks from the canyon’s wall layers down onto its floor, jumbling them up in the process. Lower-resolution infrared data had previously revealed an unusual concentration of the igneous mineral orthopyroxene at this location. The range of colors visible to HiRISE implies that many other minerals are present here as well.

Image Data:

Acquisition date

July 23, 2021

Local Mars time

15:44

Latitude (centered)

-12.482°

Longitude (East)

320.816°

Spacecraft altitude

264.7 km (164.5 miles)

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Caption Credit: James Wray 

Release Date: Sept. 22, 2021

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