Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
A new image of the Mawrth Vallis region on Mars shows a landscape abundant in iron, magnesium, and aluminium, highlighting the planet’s mineral diversity.
Credit: ESA/TGO/CaSSIS
Mars appears reddish due to its iron oxide-rich surface, much like rust on Earth. This characteristic gives the planet its nickname, the Red Planet.
The European Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) captures a wide range of colours beyond human vision, revealing the planet’s complex surface.
The CaSSIS image reveals yellow layers with iron and magnesium-rich clays, overlaid by white and blue layers rich in aluminum. A dark, eroded layer blankets the area.
The metallic hues of the landscape indicate a history of mineral diversity dating back approximately 3.6 billion years, located south of Mars’ dichotomy boundary.
Mawrth Vallis’ geological complexity suggests that liquid water once flowed through this area. It was considered a promising landing site for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover.
Credit: NASA
Since its full science mission began in 2018, TGO has been collecting data to understand Mars’ ancient past and potential habitability, mapping water-rich locations on the planet’s surface.
For six years, CaSSIS has documented Mars in vibrant color, capturing various features from volcanic landscapes to active dust devils and colossal sand dunes, advancing our understanding of the planet.