NASA’s Mars Odyssey spacecraft has captured a stunning image of Arsia Mons, one of the largest volcanoes on Mars, just before dawn. The striking landform rises out of a sea of clouds below the planet’s pale green atmosphere. The image was taken on May 2 using the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) camera and provides a unique perspective of the volcano as if viewed from an International Space Station orbiting Mars.
The Odyssey spacecraft orbits Mars at an altitude similar to that of the ISS around Earth, allowing it to capture images with a perspective representative of what astronauts on a Martian ISS would see. The image is part of a series of landscape images capturing the Martian atmosphere and dust/water ice cloud layers since 2023.
Arsia Mons stands over 12 miles high, making it one of Mars’ largest volcanoes. The Tharsis Mountains, where Arsia Mons is located, host some of the biggest volcanic structures in the Solar System. The image provides insight into the Martian weather and cloud formation, which can offer clues about the planet’s evolution over time.
Researchers hope to understand the present-day water cycle on Mars to inform future exploration missions, including those involving human settlements. The THEMIS camera’s infrared capabilities also help pinpoint regions of underground water ice, a potential source of in-situ water for future human missions.
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-spacecraft-orbiting-mars-captures-first-of-its-kind-image-of-giant-ancient-volcano-just-before-dawn-180986762