Christmas is a holiday tradition on the planet, but for some cosmic reasons, our Solar System neighbor, Mars, has decided to join the Earth in celebrating the holiday with its "Christmas Craterscape" display. This holiday-themed phenomenon from Mars was captured by the European Space Agency's Mars Express, now shared to wish all a joyous event.
'Christmas Craterscape' Appears on Mars, As Captured by the ESA
ESA released an image about Mars Express' latest discovery, it is dubbed the "Christmas Craterscape" that features its terrain in rusty red and white colors. The agency's discovery could not be more timely as it is, especially as it celebrates the holidays with the world, now on its final days of the year 2022, and of course right on track for Christmas.
This phenomenon wraps up the year for Mars and the Mars Express spacecraft, one that captures a unique appearance on the Red Planet in the Ultimi Scopuli region near the south pole of Mars.
However, as snow and the chilly season only started on the Earth, Mars' south pole and this discovery show that its spring and the ice formations are starting to retreat. This image was taken on May 19 earlier this year, with ESA only releasing it now.
Mars Express's Recent Holiday-Themed Phenomenon
According to CNET, the Mars Express' recent release of the "Christmas Craterscape" features two large craters forming a ribbon-like appearance on the planet. The "polar layered deposits" show a ridge connecting the two craters with water and ice sediments to help add a different color from the reddish environment of Mars.
Mars and its Study Now
Apart from NASA, the ESA is also probing Mars and it was doing so for a long time now since December 2023, almost 20 years ago after its arrival on the planet's region. There are different discoveries made by the orbiter on the Red Planet since then, and among its most recent is the ancient water map on the planet of what was once there.
The goal of these orbiters is to learn more about the next planet closest to us, one that humans could visit or habitat in the future.
One of the many discoveries here is that from Mars, other cosmic phenomena also take place, and one is the recent observation of a Martian moon eclipsing its neighbor, Jupiter. It is one of the rarest occasions in space, as it is something that involved Mars' Deimos, as well as Jupiter and its four Galilean moons.
From within and outside Mars, many discoveries await not only NASA's ventures but also ESA's Mars Express. Indeed, what a wonderful time to be alive as all the discoveries are highly accessible and available to the public, with one that joins with the Christmas season for a greeting to humans back at home.
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