Home Contact | About | Friends of McDonald | Sign up for Sky Tips
McDonald Observatory McDonald Observatory
A production of the University of Texas McDonald Observatory
StargazingResourcesRadioMagazineTeachersGift ShopMedia Center

Send to a friend 
Enlarge image
Keywords
Mars 
Martian Surface 
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter 
Weather and Atmospheric Phenomena 
Astronomy Gift Shop
2010 Sky Almanac
Pentax 10x50 binoculars
McDonald Observatory logo cap

The one constant in the Universe: StarDate magazine
Martian Tattoo 
Martian Tattoo 
What looks like a bizarre tattoo or graffiti is actually a pattern of trails left by dust devils on the surface of Mars. The small "twisters," which are common in arid regions of Earth, lift small, light-colored grains of sand, exposing darker material below. They can serpentine their way across many miles of the Martian surface. This image was snapped by a camera aboard Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is mapping the Martian surface in greater detail than ever before. [NASA/LPL (Univ. Arizona)]

Show all images about:

Copyright ©1995-2006 The University of Texas McDonald Observatory. Material on this site may be linked to, quoted or reproduced for educational or personal purposes without prior permission, provided appropriate credit is given. Teachers, scout leaders, and others may distribute the material for classroom instruction or related educational purposes. The materials may not be sold or published in any other form without written permission from The University of Texas McDonald Observatory.