The extraterrestrial version of the enchanting Northern Lights has made a mysterious and unusual appearance in a photo taken of Mars.
According to the UAE Space Agency, the auroras on Mars are formed in the same way as the auroras on Earth. Particles from the solar wind have traveled through space, entering Mars’ atmosphere, interacting with oxygen in the upper atmosphere, and ionizing it, causing the oxygen to glow.
The strange auroras of Mars are formed in the same way as Earth’s auroras – (Photo: UAE Space Agency)
The auroras on Earth, beautifully nicknamed “the Northern Lights”, typically appear in the Arctic region and are a phenomenon eagerly sought after by photographers worldwide.
While Earth’s auroras are concentrated around the poles along the magnetic field lines, the auroras on Mars are scattered and diffuse throughout its dark side. This is because the planet’s magnetic field has largely decayed early in its history, leaving behind only preserved magnetic patches in the mineral deposits of its crust.
Auroral regions scattered across the dark side of Mars – (Photo: UAE Space Agency).
According to Science Alert, this is the first time science has clearly documented this type of discrete aurora. This phenomenon also greatly aids scientists in mapping Mars’ magnetic field and studying the planet’s magnetic loss. This loss of magnetic field is also related to atmospheric loss and may be linked to the extinction of life on the red planet.
Stunning images of Mars’ auroras have been sent back from the Hope orbiter, which the UAE dispatched to Mars earlier this year.
