Danae wrote: “it’s still slightly startling to realize we’re looking at the surface of Mars.”

If only Giovanni Schiaparelli or Percival Lowell could have lived long enough to see the pictures that we get to see!

Yes, looking at the wider image, I’m sure you’re right. There must be a lower rock ledge catching the falling frost. Thank you for pointing that out. These Orbiter images are fascinating, and so detailed, it’s still slightly startling to realize we’re looking at the surface of Mars.

In the wider image it looks like that seemingly reflective area is in fact just a lower elevation on which the CO2 frost/snow has fallen. The position of the apparent reflection is as far as I can tell just a coincidence and looks to just be a variation in the color of the fallen frost/snow. I too thought it was a reflection it first though, hence why I went to the larger image.

It’s still a nice shot though.