NASA’s Perseverance rover has spotted the first aurora on Mars visible to the human eye, offering a glimpse of what future astronauts might one day enjoy under the Martian sky.
For the first time, an aurora on Mars has been detected in visible light, thanks to observations made by NASA’s Perseverance rover. The green glow, dimmed slightly by dust, appeared after a powerful solar storm swept across the planet in March 2024, according to findings published Wednesday in Science Advances.
Unlike previous auroras on Mars, which were only detectable in ultraviolet light, this one could potentially be seen by the naked eye—a promising development for future human explorers.
The event followed a solar flare and a coronal mass ejection, which sent a wave of charged plasma toward Mars. Scientists from the University of Oslo and other institutions had three days' notice to position the rover’s cameras, allowing them to capture the rare spectacle.
“This marks the first time we’ve had an aurora on Mars that could be visible to humans, not just instruments,” said Elise Wright Knutsen of the University of Oslo, lead author of the study. “It means astronauts on the surface could one day watch auroras just like we do on Earth.”
Researchers say that despite the dusty atmosphere dimming the aurora’s glow, more powerful solar events or clearer conditions could produce even brighter displays. The finding also demonstrates that space weather forecasting at Mars is now possible, opening the door to new research on how solar activity affects the red planet.
A powerful winter storm has brought large parts of the U.S. Northeast to a standstill, dumping more than a foot of snow across several states and seve...
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said on Monday it had received “credible reports” that at least 13 civilians were killed and seven other...
Four members of Syria’s Internal Security Forces were killed on Monday in an attack by the ISIS (Daesh) terrorist group targeting a checkpoint west ...
The former British ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson has been arrested by police in London on suspicion of misconduct in public office....
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said nuclear talks with United States have “yielded encouraging signals” stressing Iran’s readiness “f...
A powerful winter storm has brought large parts of the U.S. Northeast to a standstill, dumping more than a foot of snow across several states and severely disrupting transport and daily life.
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan said on Monday it had received “credible reports” that at least 13 civilians were killed and seven others injured in overnight Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan.
Four members of Syria’s Internal Security Forces were killed on Monday in an attack by the ISIS (Daesh) terrorist group targeting a checkpoint west of Raqqa in northeastern Syria, the Interior Ministry said.
Central Asia’s population could reach 96 million by 2040, according to the head of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), highlighting both the region’s economic potential and the growing strain on infrastructure, trade routes and long-term development models.
A seven-month-old Japanese macaque has drawn international attention after forming an unusual bond with a stuffed orangutan toy after being rejected by its mother.
Pakistan said it carried out cross-border strikes on militant targets inside Afghanistan after blaming a series of recent suicide bombings, including attacks during the holy month of Ramadan, on fighters it said were operating from Afghan territory.
Italy said a fond farewell to the Winter Olympics on Sunday with an open-air ceremony in the ancient Verona Arena that celebrated art and sporting achievement at a Games lauded as a model for how to stage such events.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has approved new sanctions targeting Russian maritime operators, defence-linked companies and individuals connected to Moscow’s military and energy sectors, according to official decrees issued on Saturday.
The United States and Iran will hold a new round of nuclear negotiations in Geneva on Thursday as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to reach a potential agreement, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced on Sunday.
The chief executive of Google DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, has called for more urgent research into the risks posed by artificial intelligence, warning that stronger safeguards are needed as systems become more advanced.
NASA successfully completed a critical fueling rehearsal on Thursday (19 February) for its giant moon rocket, Artemis II, after earlier hydrogen leaks disrupted preparations for the next crewed lunar mission. The launch is scheduled for 6 March, according to the latest information from NASA.
ByteDance will take steps to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property on its artificial intelligence (AI) video generator Seedance 2.0, the Chinese technology firm said on Monday.
The formation of a black hole can be quite a violent event, with a massive dying star blowing up and some of its remnants collapsing to form an exceptionally dense object with gravity so strong not even light can escape.
BMW is recalling a mid six figure number of vehicles worldwide after identifying a potential fire risk linked to the starter motor.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment