The Flickr Aresvallis Image Generatr

Today's VIS image shows a portion of Ares Vallis. Located in Margaritifer Terra, Ares Vallis is an outflow channel carved by massive floods of escaping groundwater whose source lies far to the south of this image. Ares Vallis is over 1757 km long (1091 miles). This channel, and all others in this region, drain into Chryse Planitia.

This martian scene spans 18 x 66 kilometers (11 x 41 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20240205a

See the Red Planet Report at redplanet.asu.edu for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: marsed.asu.edu/marsepedia

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see themis.asu.edu/livefrommars. To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see themis.asu.edu

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge. If used, please credit it as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

Today's VIS image shows a portion of Ares Vallis. Located in Margaritifer Terra, Ares Vallis is an outflow channel carved by massive floods of escaping groundwater whose source lies far to the south of this image. Ares Vallis is over 1757 km long (1091 miles). This channel, and all others in this region, drain into Chryse Planitia.

This martian scene spans 18 x 276 kilometers (11 x 171 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20230512a

See the Red Planet Report at redplanet.asu.edu for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: marsed.asu.edu/marsepedia

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see themis.asu.edu/livefrommars. To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see themis.asu.edu

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge. If used, please credit it as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

“This is a close-up of the sunset on Sol 24 as seen by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder. The red sky in the background and the blue around the Sun are approximately as they would appear to the human eye. The color of the Sun itself is not correct -- the Sun was overexposed in each of the 3 color images that were used to make this picture. The true color of the Sun itself may be near white or slightly bluish.

August 28, 1997

Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The Imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP) was developed by the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory under contract to JPL. Peter Smith is the Principal Investigator.

Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998.”

The above & image at/from:

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00920
Credit: JPL Photojournal website

And, associated with the panoramic image of which PIA00920 is a portion:

“This image of the Martian sunset from Sol 24 shows much more color variation than had previously been seen. The blue color near the Sun is not caused by clouds of water ice, but by the Martian dust itself. The dust in the atmosphere absorbs blue light, giving the sky its red color, but it also scatters some of the blue light into the area just around the Sun because of its size. The blue color only becomes apparent near sunrise and sunset, when the light has to pass through the largest amount of dust. This image was taken by the Imager for Mars Pathfinder.”

Above & panorama at/from:

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01547

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00917
Both above credit: JPL Photojournal website

Remarkably & unfortunately, this is the FIRST Pathfinder inflight image - on photographic paper - that I’ve come across. Dang…that’s since 1997!

This might be the first image taken from the Martian surface of the solar disk at sunset. Although the Viking Landers took spectacular images of the sunset, to the best of my recollection, they were all after the sun was below the horizon. Although, the Viking 2 Lander did capture a sunrise:

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00576
Credit: JPL Photojournal website

And by Viking 1, also a sunrise:

www.planetary.org/space-images/sunrise-at-the-viking-1-la...
Credit: “The Planetary Society” website

“This mosaic of five Mars pictures shows the eastern part of the Chryse region near the prime Viking 1 landing site. The Viking Orbiter cameras took the pictures from a range of about 1600 kilometers (992 miles) on June 23. Braided channels record water flowing on the planet in the past. Fine grooves and hollows on the upstream side of flow obstacles also are seen. Shore of the channel is at lower right.”

To me, this was the most iconic/memorable early Viking Orbiter image that provided evidence of past flowing water on Mars.

And/or:

"Islands near Chryse Planitia

"Islands" near Chryse Planitia. Teardrop-shaped "islands" are shown at the mouth of Ares Vallis near the southern boundary of Chryse Planitia. Flow was from the south and apparently diverged around obstacles such as craters and low hills to form a sharp prow upstream and an elongate tail downstream. A shallow moat surrounds the entire island. Similar patterns on Earth have been formed by catastrophic floods, wind erosion, and glacial action. From top to bottom, the three large craters are named Lod, Bok, and Gold. [211-4987; 21°N, 31°W]"

Per:

"NASA SP-441: VIKING ORBITER VIEWS OF MARS". At:

history.nasa.gov/SP-441/ch4.htm

Specifically:

history.nasa.gov/SP-441/p37.htm

“COMING IN FOR A LANDING: This is artist Don Davis’ concept of how the Viking Lander, still enclosed in an aeroshell, will appear when it is some 20,000 feet above the surface of Mars as it prepares to land in July 1976. Two Viking spacecraft were launched in August and September from Cape Canaveral.”

And/or:

“This is artist Don Davis' conception of events some 20,000 feet above the Martin surface as the Viking lander (enclosed in a aeroshell) heads for a touch down on the plains of Chryse about July 4, 1976. After parachute deployment, the Viking lander detaches from the aeroshell and proceeds to a soft landing on the Martian surface, using small rockets for braking and maneuvering. The view is to the south. The bright star above the aeroshell is Fomalhaut. Capricorn is in the sky at right. The Mars landing will culminate a 704-million-kilometer journey from Earth which is scheduled to begin with launch on August 11, 1975. A second Viking will be launched 10 days later.”

Note, this beautiful work depicts actual Martian topography, and, as the second caption cursorily mentions (without context), that it's a view to the south. It’s looking across the original Viking 1 prime landing site, for crying out loud! Ugh.
You'd think that the “southerly view” would've been expounded on, instead of dwelling on what star & constellation are visible in the sky. If nothing else was going on, sure…attention to detail. 👍 And, all 3 - 5 of you know, I'm all about going down rabbit holes. In this case, the correct rabbit hole is obvious - and it doesn’t include Formalhaut & Capricorn. See the image below for the lacking context.

An amazing body of work, and much of it - in my world - iconic:

www.donaldedavis.com
Credit: Don Davis: “Space Artist and Animator” website

Today's VIS image shows part of Ares Vallis. Located in Margaritifer Terra, Ares Vallis is part of a large system of channels that arise from Vallis Marineris and empty into Chryse Planitia.

This martian scene spans 19 x 280 kilometers (12 x 174 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20210730a

See the Red Planet Report at redplanet.asu.edu for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: marsed.asu.edu/marsepedia

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see themis.asu.edu/livefrommars. To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see themis.asu.edu

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge. If used, please credit it as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image. Today's false color image shows part of the main channel of Ares Vallis, as well as a small side tributary. Located in Margaritifer Terra, Ares Vallis is part of a large system of channels that arise in Valles Marineris and flow northward into Chryse Planitia.

This martian scene spans 18 x 66 kilometers (11 x 41 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20210528a

See the Red Planet Report at redplanet.asu.edu for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: marsed.asu.edu/marsepedia

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see themis.asu.edu/livefrommars. To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see themis.asu.edu

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge. If used, please credit it as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

Today's VIS image shows a section of Ares Vallis. Ares Vallis is a large channel that arises in Iani Chaos, passes through Margaritifer Terra, and then empties into Chryse Planitia.

This martian scene spans 18 x 65 kilometers (11 x 40 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20200422a

See the Red Planet Report at redplanet.asu.edu for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: marsed.asu.edu/marsepedia

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see themis.asu.edu/livefrommars. To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see themis.asu.edu

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge. If used, please credit it as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

The channel seen in this VIS image is a tributary channel of Ares Vallis. This channel is not as deep as the main channel and parallels Ares Vallis before joining the the deeper channel at one of its bends. This channel is located in Margaritifer Terra.

This martian scene spans 18 x66 kilometers (11 x 41 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20200228a

See the Red Planet Report at redplanet.asu.edu for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: marsed.asu.edu/marsepedia

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see themis.asu.edu/livefrommars. To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see themis.asu.edu

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge. If used, please credit it as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

This false-color image contains several channel features. Towards the top of the image are several stream-lined islands, created by liquid flow eroding preexisting rock.

The islands have a tear-drop shape, with the pointy end down stream from the rounded end. In this case the fluid flowed from the bottom right of the frame towards the upper left.

Just below the center of the image is a larger, deeper channel. All these channel features merge into Ares Vallis, a huge outflow channel that empties into Chryse Planitia.

The THEMIS VIS camera contains 5 filters. The data from different filters can be combined in multiple ways to create a false color image. These false color images may reveal subtle variations of the surface not easily identified in a single band image.

This martian scene spans 18 x 274 kilometers (11 x 170 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image, go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20190301a

See the Red Planet Report at redplanet.asu.edu for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: marsed.asu.edu/marsepedia

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see themis.asu.edu/livefrommars. To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see themis.asu.edu.

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge. If used, please credit it as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

Today's VIS image shows part of Aram Chaos. Aram Chaos was initially formed by a large impact. Over time the crater interior was modified by several different processes, including liquid water.

Located near Ares Vallis, a narrow channel links the Aram Chaos crater with Ares Vallis indicating a substantial amount of water was located in the crater.

Chaos forms from erosion of the surface into mesa features. With time the valleys expand creating the jumble of hills seen in the image.

This martian scene spans 18 x 66 kilometers (11 x 41 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image, go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20180813a

See the Red Planet Report at redplanet.asu.edu for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: marsed.asu.edu/marsepedia

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see themis.asu.edu/livefrommars. To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see themis.asu.edu.

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge. If used, please credit it as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

Today's VIS image shows part of Ares Vallis, one of the large channels in Margaritfer Terra that empty into Chryse Planitia.

This martian scene spans 18 x 275 kilometers (11 x 172 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image, go to themis.asu.edu/zoom-20180725a

See the Red Planet Report at redplanet.asu.edu for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: marsed.asu.edu/marsepedia

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see themis.asu.edu/livefrommars. To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see themis.asu.edu.

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge. If used, please credit it as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

“VIKING 1 PRIMARY LANDING SITE”

“The ellipse above indicates the planned primary landing site for Viking Lander 1 when it touches down on Mars in the summer of 1976 to begin a detailed scientific examination of the planet, including a search for life. The site is in a region of Mars called Chryse, at the mouth of a 3,000 mile (4,800 km) long rift canyon. The target ellipse is approximately 300 x 80 kilometers (180 x 48 miles). The target coordinates are 19.5 degrees North and 34 degrees West. The photograph is of a 1:1,000,0-00 scale topographic map.”

Interestingly, the ellipse encompasses the 1997 Mars Pathfinder landing site.

NASA has selected an ancient flood plain on Mars as the landing site for the 1996 mission of Mars Pathfinder, one of the first in a new generation of small, low-cost spacecraft. Eons ago, when water flowed on Mars, great floods inundated the landing site, located on a rocky plain in an area known today as Ares Vallis. The site is 850 kilometers (527 miles) southeast of the location of Viking Lander 1, which in 1976 became the first spacecraft to land on Mars. Pathfinder will be the first to land on Mars since the twin Viking landers arrived almost 20 years ago. The spacecraft, scheduled to arrive at Mars on July 4, 1997, will parachute down to Ares Vallis at the mouth of an ancient outflow channel chosen for the variety of rock and soil samples it may present. The target landing site, at the center of the landing ellipse, is 19.5 N, 32.8 W.

From the indomitable LPI:

The Mars Pathfinder spacecraft landed near the center of this ellipse, as planned, on July 4, 1997. The ellipse is the original target area, 300 kilometers long and 200 kilometers wide. Mars Pathfinder landed only 50 kilometers from the ellipse center. This landing site is outside the mouth of the huge water-cut channel of Ares Vallis (19.33°N, 33.55°W) that empties into the lowlands of Chryse Planitia near the Viking 1 lander site. At its landing site, Pathfinder and its rover were able to see and analyze rocks that were washed down Ares Vallis during its floods. These rocks could come from the ancient southern highlands and from plains that are huge basalt lava flows.

This landing site was chosen in April 1994, when 60 scientists gathered at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston. Their goal was to find sites where Mars Pathfinder could land and survive (flat surface, low elevation, latitude between 5° and 20°N), and return important information. Each scientist had a favorite site, and the Pathfinder program managers considered them all. Ares Vallis was chosen because it seemed relatively safe (flat and low), was known fairly well (the Viking spacecraft had taken detailed images of the area), and probably would provide important rock samples for Pathfinder to view and analyze.

Also:

nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/image/marspsite.gif

www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/marslife/slide_36...

This VIS image shows part of the complex channel floor of Ares Vallis. the reason for the complexity is likely found in repeated episodes of gigantic floods, which came from outbursts of groundwater.

The scene here spans 19 x 66 kilometers (12 x 41 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image, bit.ly/1T3FcRg

See the Red Planet Report at bit.ly/14KXe4O for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: bit.ly/1fnXbhw

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see bit.ly/1d6HA7o . To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see bit.ly/13YOfgm .

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge, but if used it should be credited as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

This VIS image shows a small portion of Ares Vallis. With the different elevations within the broad channel, it is thought that multiple periods of flow successively eroded lower and lower into the surface.

The scene here spans 18 x 67 kilometers (11 x 42 miles). To see where on Mars this area lies, and to download high-resolution versions of the image, bit.ly/1OuMZE9

See the Red Planet Report at bit.ly/14KXe4O for updates on Mars research and exploration. For more about Mars geology, check out the Mars-ePedia: bit.ly/1fnXbhw

For the latest THEMIS Mars images as received by mission scientists, see bit.ly/1d6HA7o . To learn more about the THEMIS camera and its Mars images, see bit.ly/13YOfgm .

This image is in the public domain and may be republished free of charge, but if used it should be credited as NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

Several massive flood channels converge in southern Chryse Planitia. These flood channels at one time carried a torrent of water more than 100 times that of the Amazon River. These floods, probably caused by ice damming or volcanic permafrost melting, dramatically reshaped the landscape.

Here, pre-existing craters shaped the flow of water. Crater rims stand high above the surrounding landscape, protecting the lower ground inside. In the wake of the craters, the lower water velocity allowed some sediment to drop out of suspension, creating a streamlined ridge in the direction of flow.

Also visible in this image are wind streaks, which work on much the same principle. Light-toned dust collects on the lee side of craters, indicating seasonal wind direction.

This image was collected on Mars Express' 11,597th orbit of Mars, on February 11, 2013.

Image Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin/J. Cowart, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

Edited Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter image of Ares Vallis near the landing site of Mars Pathfinder. Color variant.

Edited Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter image of Ares Vallis near the landing site of Mars Pathfinder.

Edited Odyssey image of flood channels in Ares Vallis.