Posted on 10/26/2018 1:41:46 PM PDT by ETL
Although Mars' atmosphere is comprised of vastly different elements than Earth's and is approximately 100 times less dense than our own, the planet does have clouds. But one strange, curious cloud near a massive volcano is puzzling onlookers..."
The cloud, described as "curious" by the European Space Agency, was first spotted over the Arsia Mons volcano on the planet on Sept. 13 by the Mars Express spacecraft. The ESA does not believe it is a volcanic cloud since no volcano has been active on the planet in about 50 years, but rather they believe it is a water ice cloud.
"In spite of its location, this atmospheric feature is not linked to volcanic activity but is rather a water ice cloud driven by the influence of the volcano’s leeward slope on the air flow – something that scientists call an orographic or lee cloud – and a regular phenomenon in this region," the ESA said in a statement on its website.
The space agency noted that the cloud has grown and changed shape throughout the day. It grows "in length during local morning downwind of the volcano, almost parallel to the equator, and reaching such an impressive size that could make it visible even to telescopes on Earth," the ESA added.
Mars' winter solstice on its northern hemisphere occurred on Oct. 16 and the ESA noted that a "seasonally recurrent water ice cloud," like the aforementioned cloud, has formed along the southwestern flank of the volcano in the past. The Mars Express craft and others have actually observed the cloud in 2009, 2012 and 2015, the ESA said.
Despite the proclamation from the ESA, that has not stopped conspiracy theorists on the internet proclaiming it could be from the volcano or something else.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Thanks ETL.
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...first spotted over the Arsia Mons volcano on the planet on Sept. 13... The ESA does not believe it is a volcanic cloud since no volcano has been active on the planet in about 50 years, but rather they believe it is a water ice cloud.
Maybe it is just letting off a little water vapor or other gas that is freezing in the cold air.
I know what it is...if they has a microphone down there, they would hear, “Meep Meep!”
It could be the Martian equiv. of a geyser, but due to the aridity and lack of dense atmosphere, it takes a year for the volcanic vent (which would be invisible from space) to accumulate enough water.
Lol! What if it had said, "Mysterious Cat Found Living On Mars".
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