Water Ice Clouds on Mars moving video by Perseverance Rover

On December 17, 2021 NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover sent to Earth video (sequence of images) of Martian Clouds moving in thin atmosphere. Technically Clouds on Mars are rare and due to its thin atmosphere and scarcity of water, it’s not often there are the right conditions for clouds to form. Noctilucent, or night-shining, clouds appear after sunset when the sky has darkened on both Earth and Mars. After sunset on both planets, particles high up in the atmosphere can still catch the sun’s rays and glow. Research in near future will allow scientists from around the world to resolve with certainty which Martian clouds are water ice, and which are dry ice.

Credit: nasa.gov, NASA/JPL-Caltech, NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU, NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/j. Roger

Source for Perseverance’s Mars clouds image: https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/multimedia/raw-images/NLF_0294_0693053004_235ECM_N0090000NCAM00514_01_295J

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