[X] My Assistant

[cIclops]

An overlooked mission yet one that will be the focus of media attention in 155 days from now on July 4 2005, so there's time left to post a message before impact

cIc

[edstrick]

These images are press-released and enhanced versions of image PIA02135, from the impactor, showing most of region 2, it's border with region 3, and the smooth plains superimposed on region 2.

The smooth plains have weak textures converging into it's center from the upper right and lower right edges, but is remarkably smooth and flat. The escarpment at it's edge seems pretty uniform in height over much of it's length. Scattered bright spots are visible for a ways to the right and below the edge of the smooth plains. Some of these appear to be real albedo features, rather than sunward facing slopes.

Further to the right, region 2 seems smoother, but has the scattered dark spots, many/most with light centers, as described in the previous posting. Light patches seem decidedly less common.

The border of Region 3 and 2 forms a well defined topographic break on the surface of region 3, but seems to descend into a hummocky "badlands" as it transitions into region 2. Much of the border below and to the lower right of the topographic break is fairly smooth, but the rest of region 3 all the way down to the the limb is extremely rough and "hackly" Some vaguely elliptical features give the impression of obliquely viewed crater-form depressions in the rough terrain, but resolution is not good enough to clearly tell if this is so.

Attached thumbnail(s)