Many Mars' Scientists and Researchers, when they first saw this image (relative to the Martian Region of Vastitas Borealis and, in particular, to a possible Landing Site for the NASA - Phoenix Lander), thought that the bright spot (which was clearly visible even from over 300 Km of altitude and at Low Resolution) could have been a small "Frozen Lake" (or a "Frozen Pond", if you prefer, considering the dimensions of the detail - approx. 20 to 25 meters across).

A small Frozen Pond relatively similar to an (alleged) Frozen Lake - located into a medium-sized and at the time still Unnamed Crater (afterwards baptized "Lauth"), discovered by the ESA - Mars Express Orbiter in the same Region -, which was the cause of a wide and long (and, so fa, still open) debate in the Scientific Community about the possiblilty that Mars, in certain periods of the year (and in spite of an estremely low pressure at the Datum), could still host the presence of some (probably semi) Liquid Water Reservoirs on its Surface.

Well, the abovementioned debate, as far as the alleged Frozen Lake photographed by the Mars Express Orbiter is concerned, substantially ended when, after many more detailed pictures of such an intriguing Surface Feature were taken by the NASA - Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, it was found to be just a patch of persistent water-based frost and ice.

However, if some doubts about the actual nature of the icy material held inside Lauth Crater can still, in some way, up to a certain extent and for some reason that we will face in the future, be considered and taken into account, there is no doubt whatsoever that the bright spot that we are looking at in today's APOD is just a patch (or a small heap, if you like) of persistent ice (snow, probably) that, thanks to the slight depression of the Surface where it set in (as CLEARLY visible in the perspective view), survived and still survives - against all odds! - not only to the erasing forces of the powerful Winds that, almost continuously, blow over - and deeply sweep - the Northern Plains of Vastitas Borealis, but also to the sensible increasing - occurring during the Summer months - of the Daytime Surface Temperatures.

In the end, and just for curiosity, we, as IPF, do not believe that the slight depression where the residual ice-patch sits in, is an old (and minute) Impact Crater, but rather a shallow ditch, perhaps caused by a phenomenon of subsidence. But, of course, this is only a speculation, nothing more.

 

Mars Local Time: 15:00 (Early Afternoon)
Coord. (centered): 71,7° North Lat. and 189,9° East Long.
Spacecraft altitude: 316,0 Km (such as about 197,5 miles)
Original image scale range: 31,6 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~ 95 cm across are resolved
Map projected scale: 25 cm/pixel
Map projection: POLAR STEREOGRAPHIC
Emission Angle: 0,2°
Phase Angle: 60,0°
Solar Incidence Angle: 60° (meaning that the Sun is about 30° above the Local Horizon)
Solar Longitude: 16,2° (Northern Summer)
Credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

 

This frame has been colorized in Absolute Natural Colors by (such as the colors that a human eye would actually perceive if someone were onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and then looked down, towards the Surface of Vastitas Borealis - Mars), by using an original technique created - and, in time, dramatically improved - by the Lunar Explorer Italia Team.