MSIP: Elysium Mons Lava Flow

We began the Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP) with 122 students divided into 24 teams. Each team created a proposal and, through the peer review process, seven proposals were selected. Two teams were formed to actually select a site. The Elysium Mons lava flow site was selected by the 'Crater' group. The context image showed one large crater and what looked like many smaller craters. That would be an ideal site for the groups. The actual THEMIS image indeed contains one large crater with layered details in the walls, and many smaller craters. One team went on to attempt to find the relative age of the Elysium Mons lava flow by comparing its crater count to the crater count of a known age lava flow on our own Moon. NOTE: The above caption was written by the MSIP team that targeted this image. There has been no editing of content by ASU. NASA and Arizona State University's Mars Education Program is offering students nationwide the opportunity to be involved in authentic Mars research by participating in the Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP). Teams of students in grades 5 through college sophomore level have the opportunity to work with scientists, mission planners and educators on the THEMIS team at ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility, to image a site on Mars using the THEMIS visible wavelength camera. For more information go to the MSIP website: http://msip.asu.edu.