The latest photos of Mars from NASA'S HiRISE orbiting camera may not have the "wow" factor of those that showed an active landslide or an ice shelf peeking from a newly created crater, but they are unique in one aspect - scientists allowed the public to point the camera for these shots.
In a program called HiWish, the University of Arizona and NASA developed a Web site that allows space enthusiasts to recommend targets for imaging by the UA-run camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The first eight photos were released this week.
Alfred McEwen, a professor with the UA's Lunar and Planetary Lab, said he hadn't had a chance to fully investigate the new images, but he immediately saw some interesting features.
"One of the most interesting," said McEwen, "shows deposits on the floor of Pelos Crater. It looks like rocks that may well have been deposited from stream flow." That image is top row, left.
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"Everybody likes active things," said McEwen. "I like rocks."
McEwen is a planetary geologist who heads the UA team running HiRISE, the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment.
On StarNet: For a collection of photos taken by the HiRISE camera, go to azstarnet.com/gallery
Contact reporter Tom Beal at 573-4158 or tbeal@azstarnet.com
