Martian dust, AFM image
Martian dust, coloured atomic force micrograph (AFM). Dust particle seen inside one of the pits (lower left) of the microscope platform. The particle measures about 1 micrometre (thousandth of a millimetre). The colours represent the gradient allowing the pits to be visualised, increasing in height from purple to red. The sample was obtained from Mars' Snow White trench on sol 38 (2nd July 2008) using the Phoenix spacecraft's robotic arm. Phoenix was launched on 4th August 2007 and landed on Mars on 25th May 2008. It is the first successful landing on a polar region of Mars and the sixth successful Mars landing.
Details
License type
Rights Managed