Here Is a Rare View of Mars’ Icy Backside

This is one of the most fascinating images of Mars I ’ve ever seen . The perspective — catch by Mars Express — make it feel like I ’m standing under our closest planetary neighbor , looking up at its south opposite ice cap and its billion - twelvemonth - older cratered highlands . In other word , this is Mars ’ nether regions .

The image was expel by the European Space Agency ( ESA ) recently after the high - resolution stereo camera on ESA ’s Mars Express dissipate it on 25 February . But what , exactly , is so strange about this view?ESA explains :

During normal scientific imaging , the television camera typically take image point straight down towards the aerofoil , from around the close spot to the planet along the spacecraft ’s elliptical orbit at an ALT of about 300 kilometer . But in this unusual observance , known as a ‘ broom calibration ’ epitome , Mars Express turned such that its camera pan over the aerofoil far above the planet , close to its uttermost point along its orbit , in this case at around 9900 km . Importantly , as well as give an strange broad thought , this allows the camera to immortalise a range of features at the same illuminance stipulation , give up substantive standardisation of the television camera ’s sensors .

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Towards the bottom of the epitome is the south pivotal ice cap , comprising stock-still water and carbon dioxide methamphetamine hydrochloride . This lineament changes in size of it and shape with the season ; the primary image present here was captured during the south glacial summertime , but during wintertime the ice extend into the smooth region that can be seen surrounding it . The mid - division of the range equate to the major planet ’s ancient southern highlands – it is covered by a gamey denseness of impact craters of varying size and land of corrosion , with many craters overlap . legion patterns of drear , dusty dune deposits are also visible , sweep up by wind and accumulating in impact craters and troughs .

Here is the original range in its all lengthy nimbus :

[ ESA / DLR / FU Berlin ]

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