JPL
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
JPL Logo
JPL Logo
Image

New Crater Blues

Jun 25, 2018
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter observed this image of an impact crater. The blue appearance is due to the intense blast of the impact moving around dust on the surface. That dust is usually light-toned and reddish in color compared to what is beneath.
Context Image
Larger image for PIA22534
Context Image
Larger image for PIA22534

This new impact was found by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Context Camera team (CTX), who asked HiRISE to take a high-resolution image. They estimated the impact happened between January 2012 and September 2016, because they have a picture from the THEMIS instrument without it before that time frame. These craters may be somewhere between two and four (Earth) years old, which is exceedingly young in geologic terms. Most of the craters we see on Mars (like others in this picture) are millions of years old.

The blue appearance is due to the intense blast of the impact moving around dust on the surface. That dust is usually light-toned and reddish in color compared to what's beneath it. When you remove the dust, you're left with a dark spot that can sometimes be blue in comparison to the redder surroundings. These features are prominent only around young impacts, because all the old craters get covered with dust again over time.

This blueish "blast zone" is very different than the exposed ice some new craters dig up. The shape, color, and brightness are distinct and tell scientists this is not ice.

The map is projected here at a scale of 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) per pixel. [The original image scale is 24.4 centimeters (9.6 inches) per pixel (with 1 x 1 binning); objects on the order of 77 centimeters (33.3 inches) across are resolved.] North is up.

The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

Download JPG
Download TIFF
Mission
  • Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Target
  • Mars
Spacecraft
  • Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
Instrument
  • High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE)
Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

Keep Exploring

A Criss-Cross Landscape with Fresh Craters

Cliffs in Ancient Ice

Dust Devil Dance

Pit Craters and Giant Volcanoes

Machine Learning Spots a Cluster of Mars Craters: Context Camera's view

AI Spots a Cluster of Mars Craters: HiRISE's view

HiRISE Catches an Avalanche on Mars

HiRISE Finds a Dune and Ripples

Map of Regions Around Mars' Jezero Crater

Spring Fans at Macclesfield

Related Topic

News .

NASA to Host Virtual Briefing on February Perseverance Mars Rover Landing

News .

NASA InSight’s ‘Mole’ Ends Its Journey on Mars

News .

Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover to Capture Sounds From the Red Planet

News .

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Reaches Its 3,000th Day on Mars

Mission .

InSight

News .

NASA Extends Exploration for Two Planetary Science Missions

News .

Celebrate the Perseverance Rover Landing With NASA's Student Challenge

Topic .

Mars

News .

7 Things to Know About the NASA Rover About to Land on Mars

Podcast .

On a Mission

About JPL
Who We Are
Executive Council
Directors of JPL
JPL History
Documentary Series
Virtual Tour
Annual Reports
Missions
All
Current
Past
Future
News
All
Earth
Mars
Solar System
Universe
Technology
Galleries
Images
Videos
Audio
Podcasts
Infographics
Engage
JPL and the Community
Lecture Series
Public Tours
Events
Team Competitions
JPL Speakers Bureau
Topics
Solar System
Mars
Earth
Climate Change
Stars and Galaxies
Exoplanets
Technology
JPL Life
For Media
Contacts and Information
Press Kits
More
Asteroid Watch
Robotics at JPL
Subscribe to Newsletter
Social Media
Get the Latest from JPL
Follow Us

JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by Caltech.

More from JPL
Careers Education Science & Technology Acquisitions JPL Store
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
Acquisitions
JPL Store
Related NASA Sites
Basics of Spaceflight
Climate Kids
Earth / Global Climate Change
Exoplanet Exploration
Mars Exploration
Solar System Exploration
Space Place
NASA's Eyes Visualization Project
Voyager Interstellar Mission
NASA
Caltech
Privacy
Image Policy
FAQ
Feedback
Site Manager: Veronica McGregor
Site Editors: Tony Greicius, Randal Jackson, Naomi Hartono