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Mars Global Surveyor: Quick Facts

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Mars Global Surveyor
Mars: Tharsis province
The “face on Mars” rock formation, in images made from orbit by Viking 1 in July 1976 (left) and, at much higher resolution, by Mars Global Surveyor in April 2001 (right). The anthropomorphic landform, long popularized in the media as an alien artifact, is shown in the latter image to be a natural feature similar to a butte or mesa on Earth. Located in the Cydonia region of Mars at about 50° N, 10° W, the formation measures about 3 km (2 miles) in length and rises about 250 metres (820 feet) above the surrounding plain.
Sunlit half of Mars, as seen by the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. The dark areas indicate regions with large amounts of rock, sand, and craters; the lighter areas are dusty plains. Chryse Planitia is the narrow area between two dark pincers (centre right).
Mars
Perspective view of Nirgal Vallis, based on observations made by the Mars Global Surveyor. The sides of the canyon display features similar to runoff channels, and thus may indicate the presence of surface water in Mars's past.
Nirgal Vallis gullies on Mars
Section of the northern polar cap of Mars, as seen by the Mars Global Surveyor on Sept. 12, 1998. A series of ice terraces, believed to be the product of millions of years of ice and dust deposits, are visible in the left half of the picture.
Mars: storm
Mars polar water-ice cap
Mars
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