[Photomosaic of Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars]
Image Not Available

[Photomosaic of Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars]

Image Not Available
Photograph

[Photomosaic of Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars]

1976
Gelatin silver print
Image: 18.5 x 23.3 cm
Overall: 25.3 x 20.3 cm
Museum accession
2011.0100.0001
Inscriptions verso (applied label, typed): NATIONAL AERONATICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION/ VIKING NEWS CENTER/ PASADENA, CALIFORNIA/ (213) 354-6000/
PHOTO CAPTION/
Viking 1-77/ P-17708 (57A41/57A47)/ September 9, 1976/
This mosaic of the Mars surface at the west end of the Valles Marieneris/ (Mariner Valley) canyon system was taken by Viking Orbiter 1 from a/ range of about 4300 kilmoeters (2700 miles). It is an oblique view across/ the Tithonium Chasma (top) and the Ius Chasma, centered at 5° S. Lat:./ 89° W. Long. These two canyons, running east-west across the picture,/ are each about 60 kilometers (37 miles) wide and more than 1 kilometer/ (0.6 mile) deep. The canyons were originally formed by downfaulting of/ the crust along parallel faults. Other faults and collapsed depressions/ with the same trend are seen between the two canyons. After they were/ formed, the canyons were modified by erosion that formed great slumps/ on the walls and also cut side valleys to the main canyons. A few recent/ impact craters are seen at the bottom right.
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