Colour view of Huygens crater rim

This image of the eastern rim of the Martian impact crater Huygens was taken during orbit 532 on 20 June 2004 with a ground resolution of approximately 70 metres per pixel. The displayed region is centred around longitude 61° East and latitude 14° South.

The crater rim is heavily eroded and shows a ‘dendritic’ pattern. This observation suggests surface water run-off.The valley system is blanketed by dark material, which was either transported by a fluid running through the channels or by wind-driven (‘aeolian’) processes. Part of the area has been covered by slightly redder material, which implies a different chemical composition.