News

NASA Releases Image Of Blue Dunes on Mars

We’ve all heard about blue moons, but what about blue dunes? NASA released a stunning image which has been titled the ‘Blue Dues on the Red Planet’. The image was taken by the infrared camera of the Mars Odyssey orbiter called the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS).

According to the U.S agency, the dunes surround Mars’ northern polar cap and were created by gusts of wind. The area (image below) which shows the blue dunes covers an area of 19 miles having approximately 80.3 degrees north latitude and 172.1 degrees east longitude.

Blue dunes (Image source: NASA)

This particular area is said to have vivid coloring which corresponds with different dune temperatures. These varying colors are primarily false color imaging where the orangey yet yellow-colored dunes signify massive coral reef energy and warmer temperature while the blue areas in the upper left corner of the image show cooler temperatures.

Moreover, according to NASA:
“[the THEMIS] measures the surface temperature day and night, allowing scientists to determine what physical materials, such as rock, sand, or dust, exist. Its data reveals the presence of these materials based on how they heat up or cool down over the course of a Martian day.”

Apart from just assisting scientists in creating maps of Mars, the THEMIS allows the scientists to identify nearly everything from sandstone to salts.

However, it is to be noted that this is primarily a special set of images that mark the 20th anniversary of Odyssey which is currently the longest-working Mars spacecraft in history, operating since 2001.

Sponsored
Usman Aslam

A tech enthusiast, writer, researcher and strategist working on the latest technologies and making an impact. Usman has been heavily focused on building communities, empowering people through technological trends and advancements for over 3+ years including many notable names such as IEEE Region 10, TEDx, Google Developers, United Nations Programmes, Microsoft Partner Program and much more. Reach out: usman.aslam@techjuice.pk

Share
Published by
Usman Aslam

Recent Posts

Xiaomi’s SU7 Achieves New Production Record, Driving Q3 Growth

Xiaomi has shattered records by producing 100,000 vehicles in just 230 days. This is nearly…

46 mins ago

Teachers Can Now Access OpenAI’s Free AI Course

OpenAI, in collaboration with nonprofit organization Common Sense Media, announced on Wednesday the launch of…

2 hours ago

WhatsApp-Inspired Updates Under Testing in Google Messages

Google is exploring a revamped image-sharing interface in its Messages app, taking cues from WhatsApp…

2 hours ago

Create AI Video Backgrounds with YouTube Shorts’ Dream Screen

When it comes to online video streaming, YouTube is among the most well-known options. Every…

2 hours ago

Telecom Operators to Automatically Restore SIMs for Tax Filers

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a comprehensive mechanism for blocking and unblocking…

4 hours ago

Trump’s Influence Fuels Bitcoin to Cross $100,000

Bitcoin broke the $100,000 mark for the first time on Thursday, driven by Trump's crypto-friendly…

4 hours ago