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APOD
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
A Dust Devil Swirling on Mars
Explanation: What is that wisp on the horizon? Scientists think that the slight white apparition is actually a Martian dust devil that was caught swirling across Mars . The above image was taken earlier this month by the robotic rover Spirit . The swirling cloud was found by comparing the above image to a previous image of the same area. Fresh dust devil tracks have been seen on Mars before, but actually seeing one up close was a surprise. The most similar phenomena to Martian dust devils on Earth are terrestrial dust devils , tornadoes and waterspouts . The ultimate cause of Martian dust devils remains unknown, but might be related to rising air heated by sun-warmed rocks and soil. Just the previous day, Spirit's power acquisition increased unexpectedly , possibly the result of a dust devil passing near or over the Spirit rover and effectively cleaning its solar panels .
| Date | March 23, 2005 |
|---|---|
| Credit | Credit: Mars Exploration Rover Mission , JPL , NASA |
| Authors & editors: | Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP) |
| A service of: |
ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. |