The Mars Express spacecraft has been mapping the surface of the Red Planet for 20 years
The European Space Agency revealed animated images from the vehicle’s camera
Ever wondered what it would be like to fly over the surface of Mars?
Well now you can get an idea.
That’s because the European Space Agency (ESA) has shared an animation that offers a glimpse of one of the Red Planet’s most awe-inspiring spectacles, Noctis Labyrinthus — Latin for ‘Labyrinth of Night’.
The video was created with the help of images taken by ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft, which has been mapping the surface of Mars for two decades.
They have taken thousands of images since arriving at the fourth planet from the sun in December 2003, including capturing the landscape of broken canyons between the Valles Marineris on Mars and the huge volcanoes of the Tharsis Bulge.
Breathtaking: The European Space Agency has shared an animation of what it’s like to fly over one of Mars’ most awe-inspiring spectacles, the Noctis Labyrinthus — Latin for ‘Labyrinth of Night’
WHAT IS THE LABYRINTH OF THE NIGHT?
The region known as Noctis Laryinthus – or the Labyrinth of Night – is located on the western edge of the Valles Marineris, a spectacular feature known as the Grand Canyon of Mars.
Massive blocks more than 70 miles (112 km) wide create jumbled paths through 3.7 miles (6 km) deep cracks in the Martian surface that stretch for more than 745 miles (1,200 km).
Scientists say this labyrinth of valleys was formed when the Martian crust swelled millions of years ago due to tectonic and volcanic activity.
The area, known as the Tharsis region, is home to one of the largest volcanoes in the solar system – Olympus Mons.
‘When the earth’s crust bulged in the Tharsis province, it stretched the surrounding area, tearing cracks several kilometers deep and leaving blocks – grabens – stranded in the resulting trenches,’ the European Space Agency said.
Scientists took these images and combined them to create an animation showing a 745-mile (1,200 km) long valley labyrinth that is up to 18.6 miles (30 km) wide and 3.7 miles (6 km) deep.
By comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona has its widest point at 18 miles (29 km) and its deepest point at 1.1 miles (1.8 km).
So large was the size of Noctis Labyrinthus that it stretched the length of Italy, or the Rhine river from its source in the Alps to the North Sea.
Located at the western end of Valles Marineris, a spectacular feature known as the Grand Canyon of Mars.
Scientists say the labyrinth of valleys formed when Mars’ crust swelled millions of years ago due to tectonic and volcanic activity.
“When the earth’s crust bulged in Tharsis province, it stretched the surrounding area, tearing cracks several kilometers deep and leaving blocks stranded in the resulting trenches,” the ESA said.
In addition to relying on the Mars Express spacecraft’s High Resolution Stereo Camera, experts also had to use topographic information from digital terrain models to help produce a three-dimensional view of the landscape.
The result is an animated video that gives viewers the feeling of being in a helicopter while exploring another planet in our solar system.
The video reveals interesting features in the Noctis Labyrinthus landscape, including what are known as ‘grabens’.
These are parts of the planet’s crust that have collapsed.
They can also be found on Earth, including in Canyonlands National Park in Utah.
“Intense volcanism in the region around Tharsis is the cause of the formation of these features,” said ESA.
Orbiter: This video was created with the help of images taken by ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft (pictured), which has been mapping the surface of Mars for two decades Busy: Mars Express has taken thousands of images since arriving at the fourth planet from the sun in December 2003, including capturing a landscape of broken canyons between the Valles Marineris on Mars and the massive volcano in the Tharsis Bulge (pictured) Experts combined images from Mars Express to create an animation showing a 745-mile-long (1,200 km) labyrinth of valleys that is up to 18.6 miles wide ( 30 km) and a depth of 3.7 miles (6 km). Large: So large is the size of the Noctis Labyrinthus that it stretches the length of Italy, or the Rhine river from its source in the Alps to the North Sea
‘This volcanism caused much of the Martian crust to buckle upward and stretch and compress tectonically, causing it to thin, fault, and subside.’
The main goal of the Mars Express spacecraft, which is ESA’s first exploration of another planet, is to look for evidence of water beneath the surface of the Red Planet.
It also carried a small lander called Beagle 2 when it was sent to Mars in 2003, but it was lost on arrival.
The orbiter has so far detected enough water ice at the poles to create a global ocean 36 feet (11 m) deep, and revealed vast permafrost plains around the Red Planet’s South Pole.
Mars Express also discovered the highest clouds ever seen above the surface of any planet at a distance of 62 miles (100 km).
Other human spacecraft that have photographed Noctis Labyrinthus include NASA’s Viking 1 orbiter, which captured a bird’s-eye view of the region in 1980.
WHAT IS THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY’S MARS EXPRESS SATELLITE?
Mars Express, so named because of its fast and efficient development time, represents the European Space Agency’s (ESA) first visit to another planet in the solar system.
The spacecraft, launched in 2003, borrowed technology from ESA’s Rosetta mission and the Mars 96 mission.
Since beginning science operations in 2004, this long-endurance orbiter has provided scientists with new views of Earth’s fascinating neighbor.
Now he is helping answer fundamental questions about the geology, atmosphere, surface environment, water history and potential for life on Mars.
Mars Express, so named because of its fast and efficient development time, represents the European Space Agency’s (ESA) first visit to another planet in the solar system (artist’s impression)
The spacecraft’s high-resolution camera has delivered thousands of dramatic 3D views of the Martian surface.
One instrument has discovered hydrated minerals that only form when liquid water is present, providing confirmation that Mars was once much wetter than it is today.
The first radar sounder to orbit another planet has detected layers of water ice beneath the surface.
Other instruments have detected enough water ice in the polar caps to create a global ocean 36 feet (11 m) deep, and revealed vast permafrost plains around the South Pole.
Mars Express discovered the highest clouds ever seen above the surface of any planet at a distance of 62 miles (100 km).
The mission found indications of the possible presence of methane, which on Earth is caused by active volcanism and biochemical processes.
Its highly elliptical orbit allows the spacecraft to look further beyond Mars, to survey its two small moons, in particular its innermost satellite Phobos, which has been studied in unprecedented detail.
During its lifetime, it has acted as a communications link between Earth and various NASA spacecraft, including the Phoenix lander and several surface rovers.
2023-10-18 02:21:28
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