Planetary Researchers Create Cloud Atlas of Mars
The images in the Martian Cloud Atlas have been captured by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) instrument on ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft. Lee waves on Mars are created by…
Clouds of Venus Could Be Hospitable for Some Forms of Life, New Research Suggests
Planetary scientists have long speculated about the potential habitability of Venus, not at its hot surface, but in the cloud layers located at 48-60 km altitudes, where temperatures match those found…
Combination of Two Minerals Can Explain Mysterious UV Absorber in Clouds of Venus
The clouds of Venus are believed to be composed of sulfuric acid and minor constituents including iron-bearing compounds. Respective concentrations of these compounds vary with height in the thick atmosphere…
Mars Odyssey Beams Back Magnificent Images of Martian Horizon
In an operation that took mission scientists three months to plan, NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter captured a series of panoramic images that showcases the curving Martian landscape below gauzy layers…
Curiosity Rover Images Sun Rays and Feather-Shaped Clouds on Mars
‘Sun rays’ are also known as crepuscular rays, from the Latin word for twilight. It was the first time sun rays have been so clearly viewed on Mars. This feather-shaped…
Martian Springtime Dust Storms Churn Up Surprisingly Earth-Like Cloud Patterns: Study
Using images obtained by two orbiting spacecraft, NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and ESA’s Mars Express, planetary researchers analyzed textured dust storms that develop at the northern polar cap boundary on…