Ghost of a flea

The photographs were made with NASA's Mars Global Surveyor (MGS). Normally it can resolve features only down to about 3 feet (1 meter) per pixel, not good enough to discern a typical landing craft from its surroundings. The new technique involves "pitching the spacecraft at a rate faster than the spacecraft moves in its orbit around Mars," said scientists at Malin Space Science Systems, which operates the orbiter's camera. The resolution of images -- across one dimension of the photograph only -- is improved to about 20 inches (50 centimeters) per pixel.

The method, called image motion compensation, was developed during 2003 with the goal of photographing the Mars Spirit rover, which landed earlier this month, and its twin, Opportunity, slated to arrive later in January.