Mars from Mariner 9: Olympus Mons standing above the Martian Dust Storm (HR)

Caption NASA originale:"In pictures taken early in the Mariner 9 Mission, this region, shows a dark mountain standing above the Martian dust storm. This HR photograph shows that the area contains a complex crater, called Olympus Mons (Nix Olympica or Snows of Olympus), nearly 64 Km (40 miles) in diameter. The multiple crater form with scalloped margins, is characteristic of calderas - volcanic collapse depressions on Earth. In the Mariner 6 and 7 flights in 1969, an outer ring, 1600 Km (1.000 miles) in diameter, was seen. It is hidden by the dust in the oblique picture. Earth-based radar observations show that this is a high region on Mars and is usually covered by a white cloud when observed telescopically. This picture was taken on November 27, 1971".

Come potete vedere benissimo in questo frame - sebbene i contorni dell'immagine non sìano perfetti - la tecnica fotografica adottata per scattare fotografie della superficie di Marte da un'orbita stabile era già molto avanzata 34 anni fa. Oggi, grazie alle Sonde Mars Global Surveyor; 2001 - Mars Odyssey; Mars Express etc. riusciamo ad ottenere risultati fotografici sostanzialmente analoghi...