The Odyssey spacecraft orbiting at Mars has returned infrared images, or pictures, taken of Mars. The spacecraft was 13,600 miles above the surface of Mars when these images were taken. By February, scientists hope to tighten the orbit so images can be taken at only 240 miles above the surface of Mars.

The images transmitted back to Earth show great detail of Mars’ polar ice cap. It showed clouds blowing off the polar cap. The atmosphere of Mars can also be seen along the edge of the planet. More images revealed the nighttime temperatures of Mars in the springtime. Temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere ranged from 32 degrees to -184 degrees Fahrenheit. The carbon dioxide of the southern polar ice cap, which is 540 miles in diameter, is very clear and cold.

The images were the first received from Odyssey. The $300 million spacecraft traveled 286 million miles to reach Mars. The spacecraft weighs 1,600 pounds when fully fueled and measures 10 feet across. The spacecraft is controlled from Lockheed Martin’s Waterton Canyon facility located southwest of Denver, Colorado. The navigators are stationed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

In addition to the infrared cameras, the spacecraft has two major instruments. One instrument will look for ice beneath the surface of Mars. The second instrument will analyze radiation levels to determine whether humans could survive a similar voyage.