This NASA Mars Odyssey image was taken during winter in the southern hemisphere, meaning that the usually cloudy Hellas Basin is relatively free from clouds.

Right now on Mars it is winter in the southern hemisphere. This means that the usually cloudy Hellas Basin is relatively free from clouds. Even though there is little cloud cover, the atmosphere is still much thicker due to the deeper basin compared to elsewhere on Mars, making image details not as crisp as when viewed through thinner atmosphere. In the center of the image are several dark streaks which originate from the side of a higher standing butte. The dark material is likely being eroded from a single layer within the cliff face. Wind has moved some of the eroded dark material to form the streaks.



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