After Hours

It's a twister - and other amazing photos from Mars

By // March 8, 2012, 8:41 PM PST

Image 1 of 11

  • The phenomenon of dust devils on the Martian surface has been known for year but the best image of one was recently taken by NASA's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

    Dust Devils are spinning columns of air that pull dust from the surface to form a column. They are similar to a tornado on Earth but they differ because they are usually developed on a clear day when the sun warms the ground and air directly above. Then the warmer air rises through a small pocket of cooler air and may begin to rotate. Dust Devils occur on Earth, too.

    This twister is about a half a mile tall.

    Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

  • Although we knew dust devils existed on Mars, the Mars rover Spirit got the first real look at one in 2005.

    Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

  • Here are dust devil tracks as they left their mark on the Martian surface.

    Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

  • The rest of this gallery is made up of other recent photos from the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

    This enhanced photo of the floor of an ancient impact crater shows layers of water deposited sediment.

    NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

  • Slope streaks run down a crater wall.

    Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

  • This image shows areas that have long thought to be due to flowing ice, have been confirmed to be icy by the Shallow Radar (SHARAD) experiment on MRO.

    Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

  • Sand dune fields in Aonia Terra indicate that surface winds have changed direction - either over time or from one location to the next.

    You can even see faint dark tracks from dust devils.

    Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

  • This enhanced image in Acidalia Planitia almost looks like a coastline on Earth. This photo shows some well-preserved craters.

    Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

  • More dunes.

    Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

  • This image shows exposed gypsum.

    Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

  • Surface morphology.

    Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

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The phenomenon of dust devils on the Martian surface has been known for year but the best image of one was recently taken by NASA's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Dust Devils are spinning columns of air that pull dust from the surface to form a column. They are similar to a tornado on Earth but they differ because they are usually developed on a clear day when the sun warms the ground and air directly above. Then the warmer air rises through a small pocket of cooler air and may begin to rotate. Dust Devils occur on Earth, too.

This twister is about a half a mile tall.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

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