Perspective view of Meridiani Planum

Meridiani Planum at the northern edge of the southern highlands of Mars. In the centre of the image is an impact crater almost 50 km across, covered in dark material that resembles volcanic ash. Poking through the dark covering are small mounds, probably made of more resistant material. The softer material around them has been eroded and blown out of the crater by north-easterly winds and now lies outside the crater, forming dark streaks at the top left of the image.