Mars Global Surveyor
Mars Orbiter Camera

Syria/Claritas Dust Storm

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-379, 2 June 2003


NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

This color-enhanced composite of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) wide angle images shows dust-raising events---small dust "storms" and a few very large dust devils---in the Syria/Claritas region around 2 p.m. (1400) local time on May 21, 2003. The region is southwest of the Labyrinthus Noctis, near 14°S, 108°W. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the left; winds were blowing from the west/southwest when the picture was taken.

This composite was constructed from a full-resolution (240 meters per pixel) red wide angle image and a much lower resolution (7.5 km per pixel) blue wide angle image acquired at the same time.

Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, California. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, California and Denver, Colorado.

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