MGS MOC Image of Mars Exploration Rover, Spirit, on Mars

The image shown here is located in Gusev Crater near 14.7°S, 184.6°W. North is up and sunlight illuminates each image from the left. The MOC image was acquired near 2 p.m. local time on Mars. The lander appears white because the DNs (data numbers) received from Mars for the lander were 255--the maximum possible (i.e., the lander was saturated). The values were saturated because of the high sun elevation angle and the fact that the lander and parachute are covered with highly reflective, light-toned materials (as seen in the lander portrait released on 21 January 2004).