The Silver Ink

Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Log in
  • United States & World
  • Techie
  • Business & Company News
  • Discovery
  • Lifestyle

Pages

  • About The Silver Ink
  • Advertising
  • Contact US
  • Investor Relations
  • Our Team
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Sec Disclosure
  • Terms of Use

Recent Posts

  • David The Puzzle Man Butler Uses His Newfound Hobby to Help Community June 29, 2018
  • Diamond Thief Arrested in Chicago Days After Stealing $133,000 Worth of Precious Stones June 29, 2018
  • Colorado Goth Metal Band Founder Stabs Homeless Person to Death in Back Alley June 28, 2018
  • Irate South Carolina Woman Cusses Out Black Teens at Pool, Assaults Sheriff’s Deputy June 27, 2018
  • Georgia Couple Arrested For Keeping Mentally Challenged Daughter Locked Inside Room for Months June 27, 2018
  • Washington Man Paralyzed After Run-in With Gun-Toting Carjacker June 26, 2018
  • Autistic Boy Admitted to Emergency Room After Being Impaled By A Plank of Wood June 25, 2018

NASA’s MAVEN spots rare dust cloud, bright ultraviolet aurora on Mars

March 19, 2015 By Dave Smith

auro2

US space agency NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft, which is exploring Mars, has spotted two very strange phenomena in the Martian atmosphere.

The two unusual phenomena include: a mysterious dust cloud and a bright ultraviolet aurora.

Cloud of Dust

The NASA spacecraft has detected the cloud of dust at orbital altitudes lying in the zone that is located between 150 kilometres (93 miles) and 300 kilometres (190 miles) from the Martian surface. The dust cloud has baffled scientists as they are clueless about from where it came and how it got there.

According to the scientists, the dust cloud has been present at the Martian surface for approximately the same time duration as long as MAVEN has existed in orbit around the Red Planet since September 2014.

Scientists say as it has been just six months of MAVEN orbiting Mars, it can’t be determined whether the dust cloud is a permanent feature or only a temporary event.

The thin cloud dust was detected by a MAVEN’s instrument called the Langmuir Probe and Waves instrument, which analyses the properties of Mars’ ionosphere.

Laila Andersson, of the Laboratory for Atmospherics and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, said, “If the dust originates from the atmosphere, this suggests we are missing some fundamental process in the Martian atmosphere.”

auro1

Ultraviolet Aurora

The glowing ultraviolet aurora lit up the northern hemisphere of Mars for five days just ahead of Christmas in 2014. Hence, the phenomenon has been nicknamed as “Christmas lights”.

The incredible aurora was imaged by the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph of MAVEN.

Alike Earth’s aurora, Mars’ was created by the charged particles like electrons and protons entering the atmosphere from above and causing ionisation, making the atmosphere glow.

 

Filed Under: Discovery Tagged With: Cloud of Dust, Laila Andersson, Langmuir Probe and Waves instrument, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution spacecraft, mars aurora, MAVEN, NASA, ultraviolet aurora

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 24 other subscribers

first humans who arrived in North America

First Humans Arrived In North America 10000 Years Earlier

January 17, 2017 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

gold coin

Rare Gold Coin Found In a Toy Pirate Treasure

October 27, 2016 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

clothing material

Air conditioning could be replaced with clothing material that keeps you cool

September 2, 2016 By Carrie Davis Leave a Comment

proxima centauri star

Scientific Breakthrough – Habitable Planet near Proxima Centauri

August 27, 2016 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

USS independence

Deep Sea Exploration Of World War II Vessel

August 23, 2016 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

statue of Zeus

Ancient Zeus Sacrifice Skeleton Found In Greece

August 12, 2016 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

white robot

Robot Exoskeleton Could Improve Life Of The Disabled

August 11, 2016 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

Bird Fossil Holds Answers to Life After Dinosaurs

October 30, 2015 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

Polar Bears Are Slowly Dying Due to Climate Change

September 17, 2015 By Stephanie James Leave a Comment

Study Shows Birds Also Fall in Love

September 15, 2015 By Jeff Suchon Leave a Comment

Man-made Climate Change Produces the Highest Temperatures Ever

September 14, 2015 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

Researchers Discover Why Sweetgrass Is An Efficient Insect Repellent

August 19, 2015 By Jeff Suchon Leave a Comment

The Drinkable Book Could Be The Easiest Way To Clean Water

August 18, 2015 By Jeff Suchon Leave a Comment

Study Reveals Venomous Frogs Are More Dangerous Than Pit Vipers

August 8, 2015 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Categories

  • Automotive & Aviation Industry
  • Business & Company
  • Capital Markets
  • Discovery
  • entertainment
  • Health
  • IT & Diversified Sector
  • Lifestyle
  • Nature
  • Science
  • Techie
  • Uncategorized
  • United States & World
  • World

Copyright © 2021 thesilverink.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Contact

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more.