Fast Facts
15,361st Orbit: This photograph captured by ESA's mighty Mars Express spacecraft during its 15,361st orbit around the Red Planet reveals the colossal Argyre Basin. This deep, sprawling basin is a scar etched onto the Martian surface by a monstrous impact event believed to have occurred 3.9 billion years ago.
It combines blue and green filter data from the High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) with a simulated red channel derived from the other colour data.
The Space Science
A period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment inferred from studies of lunar rocks & Mars' terrain, is believed to have been a time of intense bombardment by asteroids and comets in the inner Solar System, leaving behind a lasting mark on celestial bodies like Mars.
Fractured Landscape: The scene reveals a landscape dramatically reshaped by the impact's violence. Deep, straight valleys, like gaping wounds, are evidence of the immense forces unleashed by the collisions. These colossal faults were ripped open by the sheer power of the impact, forever altering the Martian surface.
A Slient Relic: The rugged terrain surrounding Argyre Basin serves as a silent relic of this ancient event. The image also hints at the uniformity of impact processes across the Solar System. Similarities between giant craters on Mars and Mercury suggest that these violent collisions might have been a common occurrence in the early days of our planetary neighbourhood.
A great shot of Mars' atmosphere
Mars' atmosphere is very thin compared to Earth's, composed primarily of
95.3% Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)
2.7% Nitrogen (N₂)
1.6% Argon (Ar)
Trace amounts of oxygen, water vapour, and other gases.
The wee thin atmosphere allows dust storms, hazes, and occasional cloud formations, which can be seen from orbit. The hazy glow in the image results from light scattering by fine dust particles and atmospheric refraction at the planet's edge.
Recommended Resources
>> Webb Science
>> Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth
>> HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter)