This image was obtained by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995 as part of an observing program to monitor seasonal changes in the atmosphere and surface of Mars. The prominent dark feature in the center of the image is called Syrtis Major. The differences in color, which are exaggerated in this computer-enhanced image, are thought to be caused by differences in the deposits of dust and sand covering different regions. Features as small as 50 kilometers are seen in this image. The white region at the top of the image is the north polar cap. On the right, white clouds cover the Elysium volcanos.

Hubble Space Telescope image STScI-PR95-17