Canyons Craters Polar Ice Caps Water Features Volcanoes Martian Terrain Dust Storms Sand Dunes Global Views of Mars Studying the planet as a whole gives us clues about Martian geology and climate, and reveals the similarities and differences between Mars and planet Earth. This image was taken by Hubble just before Mars opposition, when the red planet made one of its closest passes to the Earth. Mars Global Surveyor provides a planetary view of Mars. The large bright region is Arabia Terra, while Syrtis Major is the dark region toward the lower right. When the sun shines on Mars, the surface of the planet reflects that electro-magnetic energy differently.
Red areas are brighter surfaces.
17 JAN 2001 Mars Global Surveyor data creates a gravity map of Mars. Acquired during the first 5,000 orbits of the Mars Global Surveyor mapping mission, this data shows the pattern of thermal inertia variations of Mars. Mars Global Surveyor shows strong Martian magnetic fields in the southern highlands, where magnetic stripes possibly resulting from crustal movement are most prominent. The magnetic fields appear to be organized in bands, with adjacent bands pointing in opposite directions, much like patterns seen in the Earth's crust at the mid-oceanic ridges. These images from Mars show the high and low points on Mars.