Martian surface Martian surface The study of surface characteristics (or surface properties and processes) is a broad category of Mars science that examines the nature of the materials making up the Martian surface. The study evolved from telescopic and remote-sensing techniques developed by astronomers to study planetary surfaces. However, it has increasingly become a subdiscipline of geology as automated spacecraft bring ever-improving resolution and instrument capabilities. By using characteristics such as color, albedo, and thermal inertia and analytical tools such as reflectance spectroscopy and radar, scientists are able to study the chemistry and physical makeup (e.g., grain sizes, surface roughness, and rock
Albedo One Fiction" 2006. "Albedo One" was voted 8th in the Nominations for the Hugo Award under the "Best Semiprozine" category for 2006. Although only the top five in the list are deemed to have earned a Nomination for the Hugo Award under this category, the event is notable as being the first time "Albedo One" has had a presence on the nominations list (and the first time an Irish genre magazine has had a presence). The event is also notable in that "Albedo One" was placed ahead of other well-known magazines such as "Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet", "Postscripts" and "Apex Digest".