In this image from The Mars Climate Sounder instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, released by NASA August 27, the mapping of the vertical distribution of temperatures, dust, water vapor and ice clouds in the Martian atmosphere is shown as the orbiter flies a near-polar orbit. The data depicted in this image is from March 1, 2008, which was during early spring on northern Mars.

JPL-Caltech/NASA/Reuters