Strange cloud puzzles Mars scientists

[legatus]

Strange cloud puzzles Mars scientists

Astronomers have found a large spiral cloud above a giant Martian volcano.

A passing probe took a picture but scientists aren't sure how long it has been there.

They say the cloud is probably made up of fine dust grains and it is spiraling because of wind patterns in the volcano crater.

Similar clouds were seen for several days in the same area but research teams say they don't know if it was a single cloud that persisted or one that grew each afternoon.

Nasa's Mars Global Surveyor, which took the image, is now in the second extension of its successful mission.

Since its launch in 1996, the probe has studied the entire surface of Mars, its atmosphere and even its interior.

It has returned more data about the red planet than all other Mars missions combined.

Story filed: 10:08 Tuesday 12th February 2002

[Simon]

Dit is een forum, geen nieuwsarchief. Wil je ergens over discussieren, kom dan met een stelling op de proppen en verwijs naar een aantal bronnen. Zelf daarvan een samenvatting geven is ok, copy+paste is niet ok.

Daarom heb ik de andere topics verwijderd, en op deze komt een slotje.