APOD: 2006 September 26- Mars Express: Return to Cydonia
Explanation:
The unusual stone mesas of the Cydonia region on Mars are quite striking in appearance.
Last week, the
Mars Express project
released a new close-up image of a portion of the Cydonia region on Mars.
This new image, taken by the robotic
Mars Express spacecraft now orbiting
Mars,
shows an area about 90 kilometers wide.
In the far lower right of the
above image, a particularly picturesque mesa can be seen as the
upper right of the two mesas visible there.
This mesa, when lit from just the right sun angle, can appear similar to a human
face and became famous as the
Face on Mars in 1976 Viking
orbiter images.
Better images show it to be just an interesting mesa.
Such complex looking landforms in the
Cydonia region
are thought to be the result of landslides and erosion of the ancient Martian crust.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
