December 13, 2006 2:54 PM PST
This is a false color image of Cape St. Mary, a promontory on the rim of the Victoria Crater of Mars. Scientists believe the upper portion of Cape St. Mary has been eroded, exposing its contents over time. The lower portion, they say, remains relatively intact since the crater was formed and shows a pattern of "crossbedding"--layers that intersect with each other at angles, rather than running parallel.
The images making up this mosaic were taken by the Opportunity rover on October 16, 2006. The false color brings out subtleties of the rocks and soil on the planet, allowing researchers to get a clearer picture of its terrain.
Photo by NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell
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