Unusual light-colored Martian dunes
Cool image time! The picture to the right, cropped, reduced, and sharpened to post here, was taken on September 27, 2024 by the high resolution camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).
The picture was simply labeled a “terrain sample,” which usually means it was taken not as part of any specific research request, but to fill a gap in the schedule so as to maintain the camera’s proper temperature. When such gap-filler pictures are necessary, the MRO camera team tries to snap something of interest. Sometimes the pictures end up somewhat boring. This time however the picture highlights a dune field that is unusually light in color.
Since most Martian sand is volcanic in origin, it tends to look dark in orbital pictures. That this sand looks bright could be because it is inherently different, or it could be that lighting conditions make what normally looks dark to look bright instead.
» Read more
Cool image time! The picture to the right, cropped, reduced, and sharpened to post here, was taken on September 27, 2024 by the high resolution camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).
The picture was simply labeled a “terrain sample,” which usually means it was taken not as part of any specific research request, but to fill a gap in the schedule so as to maintain the camera’s proper temperature. When such gap-filler pictures are necessary, the MRO camera team tries to snap something of interest. Sometimes the pictures end up somewhat boring. This time however the picture highlights a dune field that is unusually light in color.
Since most Martian sand is volcanic in origin, it tends to look dark in orbital pictures. That this sand looks bright could be because it is inherently different, or it could be that lighting conditions make what normally looks dark to look bright instead.
» Read more