While NASA's Mars rover inches closer to finding evidence of ancient life on Mars, a $40 million high resolution camera called HiRISE is capturing beautiful, abstract satellite photos from 15,000 miles above the ochre surface.

Terra Cimmeria

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Slope textures of a crater in Terra Cimmeria
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Desher Vallis

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Sand dunes in Her Desher Vallis
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Blue-colorized pit at Daedalia Planum

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Pit in Daedalia Planum, south of Arsia Mons
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Traveling rock at Nili Fossae

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Traveling boulder in Nili Fossae
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Peninsula surrounded by an ocean of dunes

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

A "peninsula" surrounded by a "sea" of dunes in the Ganges Chasma
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Gullies at the Kaiser Crater

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Gullies in Kaiser Crater
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Chryse Planitia

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Cratered cone in Chrysa Planitia
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Coprates Chasma

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Slope textures of a crater in Coprates Chasma
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Wind-sculpted dunes on Mars

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Dunes sculpted by the wind
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Tyrrhena Terra

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Valleys in Tyrrhena Terra
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Bombala Crater

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Thousands of small craters within the Bombala Crater
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Holden Crater

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Holden Crater — possible landing site for future missions
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Lake deposit on Mars

Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Lake deposit in open basin
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Catie Leary is a photo editor at Mother Nature Network. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.
 

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Related topics: Big Snapshot, Mars, NASA, Photography, Space
13 jaw-dropping images of Martian terrain
NASA's HiRISE camera is capturing stunning, abstract satellite photos from 15,000 miles above the Martian surface.