NASA shares a glimpse of the Martian horizon
NASA's Odyssey orbiter, currently on a mission to Mars, has captured a view of the horizon following months of work.
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NASA, which frequently shares various images from Mars, has now released a view of the Martian horizon. The image, captured by NASA's Odyssey orbiter, was recorded from an altitude of 400 kilometers.
Because it was taken from such a high altitude, it took months for the photograph to reach its final form. Scientists believe this image is significant for comparing Mars and Earth. Meanwhile, astronomer Jonathon Hill at Arizona State University in the U.S. says, "This is the view that astronauts would have if they were in orbit around Mars."
The resulting image was captured thanks to THEMIS, or Odyssey's Thermal Emission Imaging System. The reason it took so long to create the image was that this system, located on the body of the spacecraft, had to wait to reach a fixed position.
THEMIS's mission on Mars is to be used for mapping the Martian surface. Additionally, the images captured by THEMIS had to be stitched together panoramically.
In the end, the time spent was worth it, revealing a view of Mars that is dry and filled with craters.