The Flickr Mutchmemorialstation Image Generatr

“Viking I This is a color camera test strip on the Viking I lander’s color bars, this device helps calibrate the color TV camera for sending back true color of the Martian surface.”

Yet another well-crafted, thought out & succinct NASA description.

As a handful of the less than a handful of you that stumbled on this post might recall, the first published color Viking 1 lander photograph featured a blue sky. This was corrected and reissued a day or two later.
So, in this test photo – which shows the color calibration chart – the sky (taking into account the yellowing of the overall image) is definitely blue…at a minimum...‘bluish’. So, wouldn’t/shouldn’t that have been ‘caught’ in this image? I mean, if you get the colors right on the color calibration chart, wouldn’t that have automatically meant the rest of the colors in the image would also be correct, i.e., NOT blue??? I don’t get it.

Interesting:

www.donaldedavis.com/PARTS/MARSCLRS.html
Credit: “Don Davis: Space Artist and Animator” website

Also:

www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16800.html

Finally, maybe the answer lies within the following, but I sure as hell ain’t reading the whole thing:

gillevin.com/pdf/5555-29.PDF

Note also the black grid pattern on the lander’s near pristine white surface, meant to gauge dust deposition both from the soil sampler depositing material in the experiment intakes on top of the lander deck and deposition by atmospheric dust. Earlier during this first Viking year on Mars, there were two great dust storms, the most intense lasting about 90 sols.

“This is an alternate color version of a Viking 1 picture of Mars taken July 24 (see Viking 1-55). Note the orange cable leading to one of the spacecraft’s descent rocket engines (foreground). The cable, which is bright orange, appears dull. This suggests that this version is less accurate. This version has the same color balance as the other, but the colors are only 60% saturated. This means that 40% gray has been arbitrarily added during processing of data at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. When compared with the other version, the colors in this picture are predictably less intense, and, at first glance, more “normal.” The brightness of the cable is a clue to the true visual colors.”

This is not unlike the “first color photograph taken on the surface of Mars” faux pas. And, I can’t seem to find this image online…I guess because it’s incorrect/inaccurate. That’s kinda funny…ironic actually.

However, and as comparison, the brighter/”righter” version is available. In retrospect, is it really??? It’s caption:

"Viking 1 obtained this color picture of the Martian surface and sky on July 24. Camera no. 1 facing southeast, captured part of the spacecraft's gray structure in the foreground. A bright orange cable leads to one of the descent rocket engines. Orange-red surface materials cover most of the surface, apparently forming a thin veneer over darker bedrock. A zone of large dark boulders is present in the far-field. The sky has a reddish cast, which is probably due to scattering and reflection from reddish sediment suspended in the lower atmosphere. This picture has been radiometrically calibrated, using information on camera performance acquired before launch. Although the colors are very vivid, the fidelity with which the bright orange cable is reproduced suggests that the intense colors of the Martian surface are, in fact, real."

At:

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00564
Credit: JPL Photojournal website

“VIKING DIGS A DEEP HOLE ON MARS -- This 110-degree color panorama of the Viking 1 Landing area was taken Feb. 17 to document deep-trenching activities that took place Feb. 12 and 14. The area viewed extends from north to northeast of the lander. The trench, to the right of the meteorology boom, is being dug to obtain samples from as far as 30 centimeters (12 inches) below the surface. Some significant changes can be seen in this picture, compared with earlier pictures of the landing area: the sky is much brighter than it was in the days just after landing last July. That indicates that the amount of dust suspended in the atmosphere has increased markedly, as more scattered light is now reaching the surface; hence the shadows (of the meteorology boom and the spacecraft itself) are no longer dark. Finally, the amount of reddish dust on the spacecraft has increased as a result of sampling activity: fine dust can be seen on the leg support and the radioisotope thermoelectric generator cover. On March 12 the surface sampler will deliver some fine material from the trench to the inorganic chemical instrument. That sample analysis may help explain the anomalously high sulfur content of previous samples. On April 2 a sample from the bottom of the trench will be delivered to the biology instrument so scientists can try to better understand the chemistry of the Martian soil observed in earlier experiments.”

While a whole lot of entities have, or offer this image - the JPL Photojournal website not being one of them - the following is the only one I came across that at least has an abridged version of the original caption:

www.tsgc.utexas.edu/spacecraft/viking/v1l_01.html
Credit: Texas Space Grant Consortium website.

“This is an artist’s concept of a 360 panorama of the planet Mars and the upper surface of the Viking lander as viewed by Camera No. 2”

I believe it’s the Viking 1 lander. A very rarely seen work by the immensely talented, knowledgeable & multifaceted Paul Fjeld:

www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/fjeld.html

www.pfinspace.com/
Credit: “Paul Fjeld: “SPACE ART By PAUL FJELD” website

If indeed Viking 1, compare/contrast:

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03166
Credit: JPL Photojournal website

“Color pictures taken by the two cameras on Viking 1 Lander provide stereo coverage of a 45-degree Martian view looking southeast from the spacecraft. Viking 1 landed on Mars’ Chryse Planitia on July 20, 1976. The picture at right was taken by camera no. 2 on July 21, at left by camera no. 1 on July 24, both at about noon local Mars time. The cameras are mounted 31½ inches apart atop the Lander body. The stereo effect may be achieved with any standard pocket stereo viewer.”

"One of Viking 1's three feet, which should be visible in this view, lies buried beneath a cover of loose Martian soil. This picture, taken Sunday (August 1), is the first to show the buried footpad no. 3. If not buried, the edge of the foot would be seen extending across the picture about midway between top and bottom. The foot sank about five inches, and fine-grained soil slumped into the depression and over the foot. The cracked nature of the surface near the slump area and the small, steep cliff at left indicates that the material is weakly cohesive. The surface material here is very similar mechanically to lunar soil."

Above from/at, along with the excerpted standard sized image:

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00390
Credit: JPL Photojournal website

5" x 11.75"

What is ‘Special VLSTEREO’ you may ask. I know - not anymore, if ever - but I've got more, so...

“Special VLSTEREO

The high-resolution mosaics have been processed through VLSTEREO in various modes that emphasize or enhance certain topographic characteristics of the scene. Twenty (20) separate photoproducts (10 pairs) have been produced in this way.

Each photoproduct is labelled with a large-type descriptor in the format:

SPECIAL VLSTEREO
L1.C1.AM.Q3+Q4 (FRONT - LEFT EYE)
IPL PIC ID 78/08/12/114001
UNCORRECTED FOR CHANGING APPARENT CAMERA SEPARATION WITH AZIMUTH

The term "SPECIAL VLSTEREO" identifies the type of product. The term "L1.C1.AM.Q3+Q4" refers to the high-resolution mosaic from which the image was created. "FRONT" (or "BACK") refers to the front of the lander (or back of the lander). "LEFT EYE" (or "RIGHT EYE") tells which eye should view the image. The Image Processing Laboratory picture identifier (IPL PIC ID) is expressed as the date of creation on the computer (YY/MM/DD/HHMMSS).

There are three special transformations used in preparing these photoproducts. These are distinguished by the last phase in the descriptor. In the above example, the NODEL parameter has been used and this product is sometimes referred to by this name. The other two alternative descriptors are "APPARENT CAMERA SEPARATION = 0.0" and "APPARENT CAMERA HEIGHT 4.024, SLANT 60.0." These are illustrated in Figures 8-13.

A complete summary of the IPL PIC IO's for these photoproducts is given in Table 5.”


The above, in addition to much more, at:

ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19800023804...

What is ‘Special VLSTEREO’ you may ask:

“Special VLSTEREO

The high-resolution mosaics have been processed through VLSTEREO in various modes that emphasize or enhance certain topographic characteristics of the scene. Twenty (20) separate photoproducts (10 pairs) have been produced in this way.

Each photoproduct is labelled with a large-type descriptor in the format:

SPECIAL VLSTEREO
L1.C1.AM.Q3+Q4 (FRONT - LEFT EYE)
IPL PIC ID 78/08/12/114001
UNCORRECTED FOR CHANGING APPARENT CAMERA SEPARATION WITH AZIMUTH

The term "SPECIAL VLSTEREO" identifies the type of product. The term "L1.C1.AM.Q3+Q4" refers to the high-resolution mosaic from which the image was created. "FRONT" (or "BACK") refers to the front of the lander (or back of the lander). "LEFT EYE" (or "RIGHT EYE") tells which eye should view the image. The Image Processing Laboratory picture identifier (IPL PIC ID) is expressed as the date of creation on the computer (YY/MM/DD/HHMMSS).

There are three special transformations used in preparing these photoproducts. These are distinguished by the last phase in the descriptor. In the above example, the NODEL parameter has been used and this product is sometimes referred to by this name. The other two alternative descriptors are "APPARENT CAMERA SEPARATION = 0.0" and "APPARENT CAMERA HEIGHT 4.024, SLANT 60.0." These are illustrated in Figures 8-13.

A complete summary of the IPL PIC IO's for these photoproducts is given in Table 5.”


The above, in addition to much more, at:

ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19800023804...

"This color image of the Martian surface in the Chryse area was taken by Viking Lander 1, looking southwest, about 15 minutes before sunset on the evening of August 21. The sun is at an elevation angle of 3 or 4 degrees above the horizon and about 50 degrees clockwise from the right edge of the frame. Local topographic features are accentuated by the low lighting angle. A depression is seen near the center of the picture, just above the Lander's leg support structure, which was not evident in previous pictures taken at higher sun angles. Just beyond the depression are large rocks about 30 centimeters (1 foot) across. The diffuse shadows are due to the sunlight that has been scattered by the dusty Martian atmosphere as a result of the long path length from the setting sun. Toward the horizon, several bright patches of bare bedrock are revealed."

At:

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00567
Credit: JPL Photojournal website

Viking 1 lander view of itself...with the Martian surface/horizon in the background...outstanding.

It appears that Martian soil has been deposited on the larger/nearer grid pattern. To measure and observe granularity, texture, cohesion...and all of that other soil mechanics stuff? Where on the spacecraft was the soil placed for 'ingestion' & chemical analysis?

4.75" x 11.75".

Per an unidentified NASA document (I think):

"The black grid pattern on the Lander’s white paint indicates dust deposition both from the soil sampler depositing material in the experiment intakes on top of the lander deck and deposition by atmospheric dust. Earlier during this first Viking year on Mars, there were two great dust storms, the most intense lasting about 90 sols..."

At:

atmos.washington.edu/~mars/viking/mission/viking-lander-2...

“This is artist Don Davis' conception of the Viking Mars lander as it heads for a touch down on the Martian surface at the prime landing site, Chryse, about July 4, 1976. The view is to the west, with Earth about 20 degrees below the Sun. Parachute in left background carries the aeroshell from which the lander detaches at a distance of about 20,000 feet from the surface. The Mars landing will culminate a 704-million-kilometer (440-million-mile) Viking journey from Earth which is scheduled to begin with launch on August 11, 1975.”

And/or:

“Captured here in this rendering is a Viking lander just before it touched down on the Martian surface. The parachute and upper aeroshell can be seen in the upper left corner of the image. At this stage of the descent, the lander's terminal descent propulsion system (three retro-engines) had slowed the craft down so that velocity at landing was about of 2 meters per second (7 mph). Seconds after the lander reached the surface it began transmitting images back to the orbiter for relay to Earth.”

At:

www.tsgc.utexas.edu/spacecraft/viking/land2.html
Credit: Texas Space Grant Consortium website

"Viking 1 obtained this color picture of the Martian surface and sky on July 24. Camera Number 1 facing southeast, captured part of the spacecraft's gray structure in the foreground. A bright orange cable leads to one of the descent rocket engines. Orange-red surface materials cover most of the surface, apparently forming a thin veneer over darker bedrock. A zone of large dark boulders is present in the far-field. The sky has a reddish cast, which is probably due to scattering and reflection from reddish sediment suspended in the lower atmosphere. This picture has been radiometrically calibrated, using information on camera performance acquired before launch. Although the colors are very vivid, the fidelity with which the bright orange cable is reproduced suggests that the intense colors of the Martian surface are, in fact, real."

Also, with the same caption, at:

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00564
Credit: JPL Photojournal website

"The planetary landing spacecraft Viking, which includes stereo cameras, a weather station, an automated stereo analysis laboratory and a biology instrument that can detect life, is under assembly at Martin Marietta Aerospace near Denver, Colorado. This Viking spacecraft will travel more than 460 million miles from Earth to a soft landing on Mars in 1976 to explore the surface and atmosphere of the red planet. Martin Marietta is prime and integration contractor for the Viking mission to NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. The lander will be powered by two nuclear generators."

archive.org/details/GPN-2000-001630
Credit: Internet Archive website

"First panoramic view by Viking 1 from the surface of Mars..."

Closeup of Viking 1 lander's surface sampler collector head.

See also:

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00395
Credit: JPL Photojournal website

“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.

This spectacular picture of the Martian landscape by the Viking 1 Lander shows a dune field with features remarkably similar to many seen in the deserts of Earth. The dramatic early morning lighting - 7:30 a.m. local Mars time--reveals subtle details and shading. Taken 3 August 1976 by camera number 1, the picture covers 100 degrees, looking northeast at left and southeast at right. Viking scientists have studied areas very much like the one in this view in Mexico and in California (Kelso, Death Valley, Yuma). The sharp dune crests indicate the most recent wind storms capable of moving sand over the dunes in the general direction from upper left to lower right. Small deposits downwind of rocks also indicate this wind direction. Large boulder at left, nicknamed ‘Big Joe’, is about eight meters (25 feet) from the spacecraft and measures about one by three meters (3 by 10 feet). The meteorology boom, which supports Viking s miniature weather station, cuts through the picture’s center. The sun rose two hours earlier and is about 30 degrees above the horizon near the center of the picture. Features on the horizon are about 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) away.

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00393
Credit: JPL/NASA

The flag of the United States with the rocky Martian surface in the background is seen in this color picture taken on the sixth day of Viking Lander 1 on Mars (July 26). The flag is on the RTG (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator) wind screen. Below the flag is the bicentennial logo and the Viking symbol which shows an ancient Viking ship. This Viking symbol was designed by Peter Purol of Baltimore, winner of the Viking logo contest open to high school science students. To the right is the Reference Test Chart used for color balancing of the color images. At the bottom is the GCMS Processor Distribution Assembly with the wind screens unfurled demonstrating that the GCMS cover was deployed properly. The scene in the background is looking almost due west on Mars. The lighter zone at the far horizon is about 3 km (nearly 2 miles) from the Lander. The darker line below this is a hill crest much closer to the Lander (about 200 m or about 650 feet). The picture was taken at local Mars Time of 7:18 A.M., hence the relatively dark sky and the far horizon illuminated by the sun just rising behind the Lander.

photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00565

Viking Lander Capsule No. 1 being de-encapsulated in the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Building at KSC, after its arrival from Martin Marietta.

Released September 8, 1976, this Viking 1 Lander image from August 20, 1976 represents a sunset at Chryse Planitia. The image was acquired after the Sun had already dipped several degrees below the horizon.
Pictures taken at dawn or dusk are quite dark except where the sky is brightened above the Sun’s position. The glow in the sky results as light from the Sun is scattered and preferentially absorbed by tiny particles of dust and ice in the atmosphere. When the camera is calibrated for darker scenes, the “sky glow” tends to saturate its sensitivity and produce the bright regions seen here. The “banding” and color separation effects are also artifacts rather than real features and are introduced because the cameras are not able to record continuous gradations of light. The cameras must represent such graduations in steps (bands) of brightness and color, and the process sometimes produces some “false” colors within the bands. The scattering of light closest to the Sun’s position tends to enhance blue wavelengths. The narrow sky-glow nearer the horizon above the Sun’s position occurs as a result of light extinction. At that elevation, the optical path of sunlight through the atmosphere is at its longest penetration angle, and a substantial portion of the light is simply prevented from reaching the camera by the dust, ice particles, and other material in its way.

The above is largely taken, with minor paraphrasing, from a caption associated with a lithograph release of the image.