Monday, March 16, 2009

ASU's THEMIS camera: "Live from Mars"


During the past year, I've posted extensively on the HiRISE camera and the Phoenix Mars Lander, but have mostly forgotten about Arizona's other Martian camera - THEMIS.

Now, in conjunction with the new Google Mars site, THEMIS has launched a "live from Mars" scrolling photo, make up of several hundred images just as they are received by the mission team.

In fact, the images are from a few weeks ago, but the impression you get is watching out a spacecraft window as the scenery flies by beneath you.

The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) is an instrument on board the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. It combines a 5-wavelength visual imaging system with a 9-wavelength infrared imaging system. [right, Terra Sirenum. Credit, ASU THEMIS site]