The European Space Agency (ESA) frequently delights space enthusiasts by sharing awe-inspiring images of our universe. Their social media channels serve as a treasure trove for those who appreciate educational videos and captivating visuals related to Earth and space.
Recently, ESA unveiled never-before-seen photographs of Mars’ volcanic region. The occasion? Their Mars Express spacecraft completed an impressive 25,000 orbits around the Red Planet, capturing an incredible high-altitude view to mark the milestone.
The images depict the Tharsis region, which hosts massive volcanoes like Olympus Mons (standing over twice as tall as Mount Everest!) and its neighboring peaks. Additionally, they showcase Mars’ largest moon, Phobos, which orbits much closer to Mars than our moon does to Earth.
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Images showcase intriguing canyons, landslides, and even atmospheric phenomena such as wispy clouds on the Red Planet.
The images capture Mars’ impressive volcanoes, including Olympus, Arsia, Pavonis, Ascraeus Mons, and Jovis, along with Biblis and Ulysses Tholus. Additionally, intriguing weather features are visible at the lower part of the frame, where a subtle blue hue contrasts with the predominantly sandy landscape.
“For two decades, Mars Express has been revolutionizing our understanding of the Red Planet. It’s mapped the atmosphere, traced water’s history, and captured breathtaking 3D views. This mission is far from over, continuing to explore and unravel Mars’ secrets!” ESA wrote.
Since the European Space Agency shared the post a few days ago, it has received over 36,000 likes and numerous comments.
One user exclaimed, “I knew Phobos orbited closer, but I hadn’t realized just how much closer!”
“The smooth surface is a clear indication of atmospheric weather on Mars, concealing all the lesser impacts it has endured,” Another user observed.
Stunning… can’t wait for the first human footprint on Mars,” expressed a third user.
Keep up the awesome work, ESA! Glory to mankind,” expressed one user.
Since its arrival at the Red Planet in late 2003, Mars Express has been busy mapping Mars’ atmosphere, investigating the history of water on its surface, studying the two small Martian moons in remarkable detail, and capturing stunning three-dimensional views of the planet.
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