News

Ever since NASA launched the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) back in 2005, the spacecraft has been photographing the red planet and sending breathtaking images back to Earth. The latest images of the surface of Mars display some unexpectedly vivid colors and have to be seen to be believed.

The MRO transmits images monthly, and the latest batch displays valleys, gullies, craters, dunes, steep slopes and other varied terrain—all in incredible detail. One reason these images are so amazing is they were taken at a time when there was a direct line of sight between Earth and Mars, during the occurrence of the Martian equinox. Hence, the orbiter had an unobstructed view with great lighting from the North to the South poles.

These spectacular close-ups of the planet’s uncharted surface will prove invaluable for mapping landing sites for future NASA missions.

You can see the complete collection on the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment website. Enjoy! 

Via My Modern Met