Water Ice on Mars
Date: 2 Feb 2005

ESA's Mars Express obtained this perspective view of an unnamed impact crater located on Vastitas Borealis, a broad plain that covers much of Mars's far northern latitudes. The coordinates are about 70.5 degrees North and 103 degrees East.


The crater is 35 km wide and has a maximum depth of approximately 2 km beneath the crater rim. The circular patch of bright material located at the center of the crater is residual water ice.


The colors are very close to natural, but the vertical relief is exaggerated three times. The view is looking east.

Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum)