The beauty of Mars from 150 miles

Article written by Jim Secosky. Jim is a retired science teacher who has used the Hubble Space Telescope, the Mars Global Surveyor, and HiRISE.

This article will show some beautiful scenes of Mars from about 150 miles above the surface. The pictures were taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) that orbits Mars. The colors are from a central strip in each of the images. The colors are processed to bring out more information about the minerals on the surface. ; they are not exactly what we would see with just our eyes. Some incorporate an infrared band which humans can't see.

The pictures are a labor of love for Jim Secosky. He started suggesting places for NASA to observe in 2010 through the HiWish program. Every one of the pictures here were ones that he obtained through the HiWish program. that program allows anyone to explore Mars. However, one often has to wait months or years for the pictures to be taken, processed, and released. The satellite mostly just takes pictures of what it passes over; hence, you may have to wait until it passes over something you suggested.

A few of the images have a box--that box represents the size of a football field (100 yards).

The collections of pictures here will not include much geology. If you want to find out more, you can go to the references or links to other articles in Marspedia. Some talks are also listed that Jim gave for the Mars Society.

                                         HiRISE images of Mars

                       Collage of pictures taken with HiRISE under HiWish program

Collage of pictures taken with HiRISE under HiWish program
Different kinds of impact craters on Mars.
Image shows dust devil tracks on Mars. Mars has many dust devils. When a dust devil passes, it removes the thin coating of bright dust. One then sees the dark undersurface.
Image shows the variety of channels on Mars. In the past Mars once had many streams and rivers.
Landslides on Mars
Troughs on Mars. Troughs form on Mars due to the huge volcanoes weighing down the crust and stretching it.
Hollows on Mars. Some of these images have a box--that box represents the size of a football field (100 yards). Hollows are produced when ice leaves the ground.
Lava flows on Mars
Layered hills on Mars. They are the remains of material that once covered a wide area.
Volcanic vents on Mars.
Common features seen on Mars
Layered landscapes of Mars
Wide view of layers in Candor, as seen by HiRISE. This picture was named HiRISE picture of the day for November 9, 2023.
Layers in Candor
Layers and faults in Arabia quadrangle--HiRISE Picture of the Day (September 25, 2021)
Ridges, this picture was named HiRISE picture of the day on March 29, 2024