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5 posts about Mars by NASA, ESA that left people stunned
From NASA’s Curiosity Rover capturing ‘sun rays’ on Mars to ESA spotting unusual hourglass-shaped structure, these pictures are absolutely incredible.
The images of Mars on social media which give a glimpse of the mesmerising beauty of the Red Planet leave onlookers stunned. Be it a 'new view' of the Martian landscape or the swirling dust storms on the planet, these images have a certain allure that evokes awe and curiosity. We have compiled a few pictures of our neighbouring planet that will leave you astonished.
1. ‘Sun rays’ on Mars
This picture by NASA’s Curiosity Rover shows ‘sun rays’ on Mars. It was shared on the official X page dedicated to the Mars Curiosity Rover.
“A panoramic image captured by the Curiosity Mars rover. The dark horizon appears as a jagged sliver along the bottom of the image with the gray Martian sky above. Taken at twilight, the image displays faint white, green, and pink-hued 'sun rays' shining through clouds at sunset. The varying light and dark beams radiate from the center of the image upward and outward from the horizon. This panorama was stitched together from 28 images sent to Earth,” reads the description of the image.
2. A Martian hourglass
ESA took to Instagram to share a series of pictures that show an unusual hourglass-shaped structure that is ‘located in Promethei Terra at the eastern rim of the Hellas Basin, at about latitude 38º South and longitude 104º East’.
Take a look at the entire post:
3. Mars in never-seen-before view
SETI Institute released a special colour mosaic of the Red Plant that shows it in a whole new light. They shared a simulated view of the planet from a ‘vantage point 2500 km above the colossal Valles Marineris canyon system’. The organisation added that the image is created with ‘enhanced colour and contrast’.
4. A Martian valley and chain
ESA shared a series of photos that show ‘the region containing the sections of Coprates Chasma and Coprates Catena’.
Also Read: 5 breathtaking pics of Earth from space by NASA, ISS
“Coprates Catena lies parallel to Coprates Chasma and can be seen in the south of the images as three troughs, ranging from a few kilometres to 22 km wide and up to 5 km deep. These troughs have been modified by erosion, as indicated by the linear features extending from the upper edge of the trough walls,” the space agency added.
5. ‘Uncommon view’ of Mars
NASA shared a series of images captured by the space agency’s specialised instrument Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS). They show the planet’s thin atmosphere, hazy clouds, craters, and dust.
“Split over four images, Mars' surface appears gray, with many craters and hills. The atmosphere shows a haze of clouds and dust in white and gray. The image is slightly grainy,” reads the description of the images shared by the American space agency.
About the enigmatic planet Mars:
Half the size of the Earth, Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, has a very thin atmosphere. It is made mostly of carbon dioxide, argon, and nitrogen. Mars is a terrestrial planet with two moons named Phobos and Deimos. It is often referred to as the Red Planet as it appears faintly reddish or orange when viewed in the night sky. It is due to the ‘'iron minerals in the Martian dirt oxidise, or rust, causing the surface to look red'.
