Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Explanation:What’s causing this unusually long cloud onMars? Known as theArsia Mons Elongated Cloud(AMEC) and first recorded by NASA’sViking Orbiter 2in 1977, thestrange cloudhas been imaged in greater detail more recently byESA’s roboticMars Expressspacecraft. Thefeaturedimageis from 2018. Thecloud formsonly duringspringand summerseasonsand then only during morning hours. Made of water-ice, the most familiar process that causescloud crystalstoform around bits of dustwould fail due to the thinness and lack of dust high in theMartian atmosphere.Leading speculationholds that dust is not involved. After the cloud forms near the volcanoArsia Mons, wind blows the clouddownstream— creating a tail that can extend over 1500 kilometers. Efforts to better understandAMECs will continue, an understanding that may bolster amore complete viewofcloud formationonEarth.Tomorrow's picture:eyeing a cat