(From west to east)

• Iris is in the constellation of Taurus.

• Massalia is in the constellation of Cancer.

• Parthenope and Psyche are in the constellation of Leo.

• Vesta is in the constellation of Libra.

• Metis is in the constellation of Ophiuchus.

• Information about the Minor Planets can be found at the Minor Planet Observer website.

"The Cassini spacecraft stares directly into the great Odysseus impact basin on Tethys. Peaks near the crater's center cast long shadows toward the east. The elevated eastern rim of the crater catches sunlight, despite being well beyond the terminator."

Cassini Imaging Team

"NASAÕs New Horizons spacecraft successfully completed a flyby of Jupiter early this morning, using the massive planetÕs gravity to pick up speed on its 3-billion mile voyage to Pluto and the unexplored Kuiper Belt region beyond.

"WeÕre on our way to Pluto," says New Horizons Mission Operations Manager Alice Bowman, of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Md. "The swingby was a success; the spacecraft is on course and performed just as we expected."

"NASA has formed an internal review board to look more in-depth into why NASA's Mars Global Surveyor went silent in November 2006 and recommend any processes or procedures that could increase safety for other spacecraft.

Mars Global Surveyor launched in 1996 on a mission designed to study Mars from orbit for two years. It accomplished many important discoveries during nine years in orbit. On Nov. 2, the spacecraft transmitted information that one of its arrays was not pivoting as commanded. Loss of signal from the orbiter began on the following orbit.

Mars Global Surveyor has operated longer at Mars than any other spacecraft in history and for more than four times as long as the prime mission originally planned."

• All of the Mars Global Surveyor images are archived here.

Information about how to submit requests is online at the new Mars Orbiter Camera Target Request Site, at http://www.msss.com/plan/intro"

Newly-released MOC images can be seen in the MOC Gallery, a website maintained by Malin Space Science Systems, the company that built and operates MOC for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA.

"Every spring brings violent eruptions to the south polar ice cap of Mars, according to researchers interpreting new observations by NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter.

Jets of carbon dioxide gas erupting from the ice cap as it warms in the spring carry dark sand and dust high aloft. The dark material falls back to the surface, creating dark patches on the ice cap which have long puzzled scientists. Deducing the eruptions of carbon dioxide gas from under the warming ice cap solves the riddle of the spots. It also reveals that this part of Mars is much more dynamically active than had been expected for any part of the planet."

"A simulated fly-through using the newly assembled imagery is available online.

The fly-through plus tools for wandering across and zooming into the large image are at http://themis.asu.edu."

Mars Odyssey THEMIS Images
Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) website: http://themis.asu.edu/

February 12-23, 2007

The following new images from the Mars Odyssey spacecraft are now available:

• Mareotis Fossae (Released 12 February 2007)
  
• Olympus Mons (Released 13 February 2007)
  
• Alba Patera (Released 14 February 2007)
  
• San Dunes (Released 15 February 2007)
  
• Landslides (Released 16 February 2007)
  
• Marte Vallis (Released 19 February 2007)
  
• Lava Flows (Released 20 February 2007)
  
• Young Crater (Released 21 February 2007)
  
• Wind Erosion (Released 22 February 2007)
  
• Large Crater (Released 23 February 2007)
  
• All of the THEMIS images are archived here.

The Odyssey data are available through a new online access system established by the Planetary Data System at: http://starbrite.jpl.nasa.gov/pds/"

Spirit Status: Spirit Perfects the Art of Driving on Five Wheels - sol 1104-1112, February 16, 2007

"Rover drivers have now refined their techniques for maneuvering on only five wheels. All of Spirit's drives during the past week ended within centimeters (inches) of the targeted endpoint. Spirit is healthy and has arrived at the rock outcrop known as "Bellingshausen" on the way back to "Home Plate."

On Feb. 10, 2007, the rover's 1,104th Martian day, or sol, of exploration, Spirit experienced a warm reset, during which the rover's computer rebooted and the rover went into auto mode, canceling activities for the weekend and awaiting instructions from Earth. This is the third time Spirit has experienced this anomaly; Spirit's twin, Opportunity, has experienced it twice. The anomaly is attributed to a well-known condition in the flight software. The rover's handlers sent new commands that activated the master sequence of activities for sol 1107 (Feb. 13, 2007)."

Opportunity Status: The View from 'Cabo Corrientes' - sol 1091-1096, February 23, 2007

"Opportunity is healthy and is currently driving on the promontory "Cabo Corrientes." The rover completed the long baseline stereo imaging of "Cape Desire" and is currently imaging the promontory on the other side of Cabo Corrientes called "Cape of Good Hope." Landing sites

"SAN FRANCISCO - Liquid or gas flowed through cracks penetrating underground rock on ancient Mars, according to a report based on some of the first observations by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. These fluids may have produced conditions to support possible habitats for microbial life.

These ancient patterns were revealed when the most powerful telescopic camera ever sent to Mars began examining the planet last year. The camera showed features as small as approximately 3 feet (one meter) across. Mineralization took place deep underground, along faults and fractures. These mineral deposits became visible after overlying layers were eroded away throughout millions of years."