Science
Probe films an impressive scene in the Martian sky
There are polar lights on Mars, just like on Earth.
Foto: Getty Images / MARK GARLICK / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Updated: 05/07/2021 – 7:07 PM
From time to time, interesting phenomena can be seen in the sky of Mars. The Mars probe Hope was able to capture the northern lights of the red planet with its camera.
The northern lights are not only found on Earth, but also in Mars. The phenomenon known here as Aurora Borealis was captured by a probe from the United Arab Emirates. Scientists hope to gain new insights from these recordings.
Mars: This is how the polar lights are created
Aurora borealis are created when charged particles from the sun shoot towards a planet and are deflected by its natural magnetic field. The oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the higher atmosphere are affected, causing them to glow. From the planet they can then be recognized as ghostly polar lights.
In the thin atmosphere of Mars near the equator, temperatures of about 20 ° C prevail during the day. However, at night it can drop to -85 degrees.
This phenomenon is also present on Mars, although the red planet has long lost its atmosphere. Only a very thin layer remains. As a result, the phenomenon on Mars is not limited to the poles, but can occur on the entire planet, mentioned t3n.
Mars probe captures images in the infrared spectrumطيف
The UAE Mars probe “Amal” has succeeded in capturing the best images of these northern lights so far. Ultraviolet light of short wavelengths has also been used.
Scientists hope the recordings will provide new insights into how Mars lost its atmosphere. According to senior scientist Hessa Al-Matroousi, the Mars probe Hope will provide more images of the northern lights on Mars during its two-year mission, Is it[called[يسمى In a press release from the Emirates News Agency. In this way, researchers will be able to investigate the origin of the phenomenon, which we hope will allow conclusions to be drawn about the atmosphere of Mars.
While Hope is photographing the Red Planet from space, the Chinese Mars rover Zhurong sends back images of the surface of Mars. NASA has also made a surprising discovery in the remnants of Mars’ atmosphere.
Source: Emirates News Agency, t3n
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