THEMIS Vistas

NEITHER A ROAD NOR A FLOOD CHANNEL, this wide trough in Nili Fossae is a block of crust that dropped between two faults. At one time, this site was on NASA's short list of landing places for its next Mars rover, but the site was passed over in favor of others. The trough spans about 26 kilometers (16 miles) wide, and the hills flanking it contain clay sediments, which point to water (and potential life) in the past. This view looks southwest. (A 1.1 MB version of the image is available.) Credit: NASA/JPL/Arizona State University, R. Luk (vertical exaggeration about 2x).

To explore this area further, check out the THEMIS feature article.