Mars – Page 8 – Astronomy Now

See Mercury and Mars get close at dusk on 18 June

5 June 2019 Ade Ashford

On 18 June at the end of civil twilight in the UK, planets Mars and Mercury lie slightly less than one-quarter of a degree apart in the constellation of Gemini. Observing this conjunction will be a challenge from the UK as the pair will be just 5 degrees high in the west-northwest at civil dusk in bright twilight, which is about 50 minutes after sunset for London.

Curiosity confirms clay deposits on slopes of Mount Sharp

31 May 2019 Astronomy Now

The Curiosity Mars rover has confirmed the presence of clay deposits, formed in the presence of water in the distant past, on the slopes of Mount Sharp.

Scientists spot buried remnants of polar ice sheets on Mars

22 May 2019 Astronomy Now

Researchers have found remnants of ancient ice sheets buried up to a mile below Mars’ northern polar cap, a record of seasonal climate change on the red planet.

If it looks like a duck… it might be frost on Mars

14 May 2019 Astronomy Now

Late winter sunlight hitting the surface of Mars at a low angle contributes to a striking Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter image of sandy terrain dusted with frost, producing graceful shapes that evoke… a duck?

French seismometer detects first likely “marsquake”

24 April 2019 Astronomy Now

An ultrasensitive French seismometer carried to Mars by NASA’s InSight lander has detected its first “marsquake.”

Mars methane mystery deepens with ExoMars data

16 April 2019 Astronomy Now

In contrast to earlier observations, the ESA-Rososmos ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has found a surprising absence of methane in the martian atmosphere.

Curiosity drills into clay unit; InSight ‘mole’ tests continue

13 April 2019 Astronomy Now

NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover has started drilling in a clay-bearing unit on the slope of Mount Sharp where rocks formed in the presence of water are expected.

Mars Helicopter shows it has ‘right stuff’ for red planet

31 March 2019 Astronomy Now

A small helicopter that will be delivered by NASA’s Mars 2020 rover has successfully completed initial test flights in a simulated martian environment.

See the Red Planet’s encounter with the Seven Sisters at dusk

26 March 2019 Ade Ashford

On 31 March at 4am BST, Mars passes just 3.1 degrees south of the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters open star cluster in the constellation of Taurus. The Red Planet sets before midnight as seen from the UK, so you should look to the west as darkness falls. Mars and the Pleiades lie within the same field of view of typical 10×50 binoculars from 28 March through 1 April 2019.

Mars “mole” struggles to hammer its way past obstacles

6 March 2019 Astronomy Now

A German temperature probe carried to Mars aboard NASA’s InSight lander is struggling to hammer its way past sub-surface obstacles.