Monthly Archives: August 2019

HiRISE: Raindrops of sand in Copernicus Crater

Posted on August 31, 2019 by rburnham

Raindrops of sand in Copernicus Crater. The dark features here look like raindrops, but are actually sand dunes rich in the mineral olivine. These types of dunes are rare on Earth as olivine rapidly weathers to clays in a wet … Continue reading →

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Latest weather at Gale Crater and Elysium Planitia

Posted on August 30, 2019 by rburnham

Daily Elysium charts and data (temperature, wind speed, atmospheric pressure) here.

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HiRISE: Stairway to Danielson

Posted on August 30, 2019 by rburnham

Stairway to Danielson. Previous images showed possible recurring slope lineae here in Danielson Crater. Additional images are needed to confirm their existence, but it’s the stair-stepped layers that also capture our attention for their stark beauty. HiRISE Picture of the … Continue reading →

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New clues to source of Mars methane

Posted on August 30, 2019 by rburnham

[Ed. note: Partial report on this research appeared earlier here] A team of researchers led by scientists at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering has created a model of how methane changes on Mars throughout the day by using data … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Cerberus Fossae graben

Posted on August 30, 2019 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 30, 2019. The linear depressions at the top of the VIS image are some of the graben that comprise Cerberus Fossae. Graben form where extensional tectonic forces allows blocks of material to subside between … Continue reading →

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Small amounts of CO2 can get Mars gullies flowing

Posted on August 29, 2019 by rburnham

[Editor’s note: From a paper by Tjalling de Haas and six co-authors recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.] Initiation and Flow Conditions of Contemporary Flows in Martian Gullies • We use RAMMS to back calculate initial and flow … Continue reading →

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HiRISE: Two flows

Posted on August 29, 2019 by rburnham

Two flows. The objective of this observation is to examine two flows near the base of a mound. There seem to be a number of flows like these in the region. Reull Vallis is believed to have formed when running … Continue reading →

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Helicopter attached to Mars 2020 rover

Posted on August 29, 2019 by rburnham

Engineers attached NASA’s Mars Helicopter, which will be the first aircraft to fly on another planet, to the belly of the Mars 2020 rover today in the High Bay 1 clean room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. … Continue reading →

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THEMIS: Naktong Vallis in Terra Sabaea

Posted on August 29, 2019 by rburnham

THEMIS Image of the Day, August 29, 2019. Today’s VIS image shows a section of Naktong Vallis. Naktong Vallis is located in Terra Sabaea. Explore more THEMIS Images of the Day by geological subject.

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Hey, students! The Mars 2020 rover needs a great name

Posted on August 28, 2019 by rburnham

Red rover, red rover, send a name for Mars 2020 right over! NASA is recruiting help from students nationwide to find a name for its next Mars rover mission. Starting Tuesday, Aug. 27, K-12 students in U.S. public, private and … Continue reading →

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