Please click RELOAD with each visit to obtain the newest version of this page.
A Composite Image from Pathfinder's Imaging Camera. This photograph is composed of multiple images generated by a 256 x 256 CCD (charge coupled device) imaging array. The individual images in this composite aren't stitched together as well as they could be (and are certain to be at a later date). Nonetheless, the quality of this first image, created just hours after Pathfinder was down on the surface of Mars, is striking.
The terrain is again extremely reminiscent of the southwestern United States, just as were the original Viking images from 1976 -- and could be a scene from a great many places in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada or Utah.
At the time of this image's creation, the deflated landing bags were not fully retracted and were partially obstructing the rover's path. The "petal" on which the rover is clamped was raised and a motor-drawn drawstring was activated to pull the landing bag further under the lander. The petal was then lowered. Neither were the ramps (the rolled cylinders just before and after the rover) yet unfurled.
Additional Photographs
First composite image of Sojourner on Mars
Larger, geometrically corrected rework of the image above
First photograph of Sojourner on Martian soil
Larger composite of Sojourner's first steps off of the lander
360 degree panoramic view from the Carl Sagan Memorial Station (249K)
Sojourner alpha-proton x-ray analysis of "Barnacle Bill" rockface
First on-board Sojourner image looking back at Sagan Station
The "Twin Peaks" region and evidence of water-induced terracing
A well processed composite color panorama of exquisite quality (165K)
The Sagan Memorial Station as seen from Sojourner
The same image, with Sojourner farther away from Sagan
An enhanced-image GIF animation of a Martian sunset
Images of Extraordinary Quality
The "Presidental Panorama," released July 21, 1997 (392K)
A Nested Series of Viking Orbiter Maps
Viking Orbiter map of the portion of Ares Vallis containing the landing site (216K)
Stereo Images
(Instructions are provided on how to create the blue-red
stereo glasses that are necessary to view these images)
Sagan Station's left ramp and the shallow arroyo area
The lander's center petal, the rock named "Flat Top," and imbricated rocks
The "Twin Peaks" region, 0.8-1.0 km distant
The Sojourner rover, "Barnacle Bill", "Yogi", and "The Couch"
The ASI/MET tower on the right petal of the lander
Other Resources
A graphical Earth-Mars planet comparison chart
A more complete tabular Earth-Mars comparison chart
Summary of seasonal atmospheric pressure variations (Viking Lander Data)
Current weather conditions on Mars
Description of the Sagan Memorial Station instrumentation