PHOTO | 'Bear on Mars?': NASA orbiter captures unusual sight of 'Red Planet'

Photo: Twitter/University of Arizona

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), recording the surface of Mars, caught a "bear's face", CNN reported.

The photo taken with the High Resolution Imaging Experiment camera clearly shows the unusual geological formation. The circular shape of the rim, which is supposed to be some kind of fissure around a volcano, "reflects" the bear's head, two shallow craters outline the eyes, and the inverted "G"-shaped elevation is probably a volcanic vent, or else an accretion mud, resembling a muzzle. This peculiar pile may be the result of deposition at the very top of a buried crater that was filled with lava or mud.

The University of Arizona, which developed the camera with Ball Aerospace, released the image.

The High Resolution Imaging Experiment camera has been photographing Mars since 2006, when the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter began orbiting the Red Planet. The powerful camera is designed to image the surface of Mars with fairly high precision.

The spacecraft orbits Mars in 112 minutes, at a speed of about 255 km above its south pole or 320 km above its north pole. The orbiter serves NASA to study the atmosphere, weather and climate of Mars.

It also looks for evidence of water, ice and complex terrain and sites for possible future missions.

More on the topic:

NASA and the Pentagon are working on a nuclear-powered rocket to travel to Mars

NASA Success: Found a tiny habitable planet

Scientists explained: What herb could feed us on Mars?

Dear reader,

Our access to web content is free, because we believe in equality in information, regardless of whether someone can pay or not. Therefore, in order to continue our work, we ask for the support of our community of readers by financially supporting the Free Press. Become a member of Sloboden Pechat to help the facilities that will enable us to deliver long-term and quality information and TOGETHER let's ensure a free and independent voice that will ALWAYS BE ON THE PEOPLE'S SIDE.

SUPPORT A FREE PRESS.
WITH AN INITIAL AMOUNT OF 60 DENARS

Video of the day