One of the images is a wide-angle shot showing the reddish brown planet with the white southern cap, while another shows more details of the frozen surface.

The ice likely consists of frozen water.

"It's been interesting to see the progression of seasons on Mars, but we couldn't see the southern polar cap" said Michael Ravine, advanced projects manager for Malin Space Science Systems. "Now we can see some of the craters' reddish brown color rims come through."

San Diego-based Malin and the California Institute of Technology built the camera used aboard the surveyor, while NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. manages the project with partner Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

Monday also marked the spring equinox for the southern hemisphere of Mars. Autumn begins for regions north of the equator. Dust storms frequently develop along the margins of the polar cap, as the colder air moves northward into warmer regions.

Ravine added that these photos give a glimpse into where the Mars Polar Lander is scheduled to land in early December.