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Ice on Mars

This high resolution photo of the surface of Mars was taken by Viking Lander 2 at its Utopia Planitia landing site on May 18, 1979, and relayed to Earth by Orbiter 1 on June 7. It shows a thin coating of water ice on the rocks and soil. The time of the frost appearance corresponds almost exactly with the build up of frost one Martian year (23 Earth Months) before.

 

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Credit: NASA/JPL

Image Number: P-21841

Date: May 18, 1979

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Uploaded on May 18, 2022
Taken on May 18, 1979