Mars North Polar ice cap

The north polar ice cap of Mars spans about 1000 km, is seen here in polar stereographic projection, presented as a mosaic of 57 separate images, from the High Resolution Stereo Camera on ESA’s Mars Express.    Image © ESA/DLR/FU Berlin–G. Neukum) image processing by F. Jansen (ESA)

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The images were taken throughout the entire mission, when Mars Express was at its closest to Mars along its orbit, at about 300-500 km altitude.

The mosaic was published as space science image of the week on the occasion of the tenth anniversary since the mission launched on 2 June 2003.

Northern ice cap of Mars, showing spiral troughs and Chasma Boreale. Image © NASA/Caltech/JPL/E



source ESA