Photos: New camera brings Mars closer

A mineral mapping instrument called Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars began sending images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter this week.

The left image from this strip of the Mars north polar region shows nearly true colors while the center photo shows the region as seen just beyond the range of the human eye. In the right image the ice is blue and dunes in the now-yellow area are much easier to see than in the other photos.