Viking 1 Lander picture of the region of Mars known as Chryse Planitia, the plains of gold, where the spacecraft set down on 20th July 1976. This picture was taken on the 15th August 1976 during the Martian summer. The scoop (right), in its parked position here, was used to dig a trench (left edge of picture) for obtaining samples of Martian soil from a debth of 30 centimetres (12 inches). The sky above the Martian horizon has an orange/brown cast caused by the suspension of dust particles in the atmosphere.