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Credit & Copyright: Viking
Project,
NASA
Explanation:
First imaged by the Mariner 9 spacecraft,
Valles Marineris,
the grand canyon of Mars, is a system
of enormous depressions called chasmata
that
stretch some 4,000 kilometers along the Martian equator.
Looking north over the
canyon's central regions,
Candor chasma lies in the foreground of
this spectacular view
with the steep walls of Ophir chasma near the top.
Surface collapse and landslides are seen to be part of the
complex geologic history of
these
dramatic features but recent
high resolution
images have also revealed
layered deposits
within the canyon system.
This picture represents a mosaic of images recorded in 1978
from Martian orbit by
the
Viking 1 and 2 spacecraft.
The full width of the picture covers about 800 kilometers.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Mars - mariner valley - chasma
Publications with words: Mars - mariner valley - chasma
See also: