Mars over Duddo Stone Circle

Explanation: Why are these large stones here? One the more famous stone circles is the Duddo Five Stones of Northumberland , England . Set in the open near the top of a modest incline, a short hike across empty fields will bring you to unusual human -sized stones that are unlike anything surrounding them. The grooved, pitted, and deeply weathered surfaces of the soft sandstones are consistent with being placed about 4000 years ago -- but placed for reasons now unknown . The featured image -- a composite of two consecutive images taken from the same location -- was captured last October under a starry sky when the Earth was passing near Mars, making the red planet unusually large and bright. Mars remains visible at sunset , although increasingly close to the horizon over the next few months.

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