Planet Mars: Layering in Holden Crater | NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Much of planet Mars is covered by sand and dust. However, places exist where stacks of sedimentary layers are visible. In this image, exquisite layering is revealed emerging from the sand in southern Holden Crater. Sequences like these offer a window into Mars’ complicated geologic history.
Holden is a 140 km wide crater situated within the Margaritifer Sinus quadrangle (MC-19) region of Mars, located with the southern highlands. It is named after American astronomer Edward Singleton Holden. This crater was once a candidate landing area for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), and is still an intriguing choice today.
This HiRISE image was captured when NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) was at an altitude of 257 km (160 mi).
The MRO is a spacecraft designed to study the geology and climate of Mars, to provide reconnaissance of future landing sites, and to relay data from surface missions back to Earth. It was launched on August 12, 2005, and reached Mars on March 10, 2006.
The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE). It was built by BAE Systems in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD), Washington.
For more information on MRO, visit:
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
Image Date: April 13, 2020
Release Date: July 5, 2025
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