Planet Mars – Notilucent clouds

[Laurence Green]

Ever thought Noctilucent clouds were the domain of our planet Earth?!?

Think again, and, think of the Red Planet, Mars…

I picked up on the following news item today (9 January 2021) on BBC’s Science tab and was struck by the following news story, that is, Noctilucent clouds are, guess where? Planet Mars!

Here is the link and look to the third photo showing the clouds:-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-55562150

The photo was taken by NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover craft which has been performing some 3.000 days in a very hostile environment and still able to perform.  Incredible!

Here is the caption below the image in case you cannot access it:-

” The tiny amount of water vapour in the thin atmosphere of Mars can form clouds, especially in the cooler times of year and around high peaks. Curiosity has observed thin clouds overhead many times in its mission. But on Sol 2410, it was able to observe a special kind of cloud that forms at very high altitudes, in this case about 31km above the surface. These clouds are called “noctilucent” because they remain illuminated by the sun even after sunset has occurred at the surface.”.

Laurence

 

 

 

[Author]

Posts