Ray system they have been identified on Mars in infrared images taken from orbit by "2001 Mars Odyssey"s thermal imager. Rays appear at visible, and in some cases infrared wavelengths, when ejecta are made of material with different reflectivity (i.e., albedo) or thermal properties from the surface on which they are deposited. Typically, visible rays have a higher albedo than the surrounding surface. More rarely an impact will excavate low albedo material, for example basaltic-lava deposits on the lunar maria. Thermal rays, as seen on Mars, are especially apparent at night when slopes and shadows do not influence the infrared energy emitted
Surface brightness object is large. What counts as small or large depends on the specific viewing conditions and follows from Ricco's law. In general, in order to adequately assess an object's visibility one needs to know both parameters. Surface brightnesses are usually quoted in magnitudes per square arcsecond. Because the magnitude is logarithmic, calculating surface brightness cannot be done by simple division of magnitude by area. Instead, for a source with a total or integrated magnitude "m" extending over a visual area of "A" square arcseconds, the surface brightness "S" is given by formula_1 For astronomical objects, surface brightness is analogous to