LOS ANGELES, Jan. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- NASA released Monday a 3-D panoramic view of the surface of Mars snapped by the newly landed Spirit rover, and scientists picked out their most likely first target for exploration: a shallow crater freshly named "Sleepy Hollow."

    "It's a hole in the ground, it's a window in the interior of Mars," said Steve Squyres, the mission's main scientist.

    Squyres said the scientific instruments aboard Spirit are in good working order, but the rover won't be visiting Sleepy Hollow right away: it will spend more than a week testing instruments before it starts to move.

    If all goes as planned, the Spirit rover, which is crammed with cameras and scientific instruments designed to study the geologic record of Mars, will roam the planet for evidence of water, a necessary ingredient for life.

    Spirit landed safely on Mars Saturday night, and within hours it began sending back photos of the Red Planet. Enditem