Towering dust devils, ancient dunes, and avalanches: 12 stunning images from NASA's Mars orbiter on its 15th anniversary

Susie NeilsonAug 15, 2020, 01:03 IST

A dramatic, fresh impact crater dominates this image taken by the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on November 19, 2013.NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has taken nearly 7 million pictures of the red planet since leaving Earth 15 years ago.
From dust storms to avalanches, the images reveal details of Mars' surface and weather patterns.
Here are 12 of the most beautiful visuals the orbiter has captured so far.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter left Earth on August 12, 2005 — almost exactly 15 years ago. The satellite began circling the red planet on March 10, 2006, and since then it has studied Martian temperatures, detected minerals on the planet's surface, and taken nearly 7 million images of our closest planetary neighbor.

The orbiter's main goal is to help scientists understand the role water has played on Mars throughout the planet's history, and the degree to which water still exists on the planet as liquid, vapor, or ice.

In honor of the orbiter's 15th anniversary, here are some highlights from its massive portfolio of photos, and what each image reveals about Mars.

Mars is full of dust devils — millions form and die on the planet each day.

A towering dust devil casts a serpentine shadow over the Martian surface in this image from the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on February 16, 2012. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

A giant, once-in-a-decade dust storm swept over Mars in the summer of 2018. The dust clouded the solar panels of NASA's Opportunity rover, cutting off its power. Nobody has heard from the rover since June 10, 2018.

Side-by-side movies shows how dust enveloped Mars, thanks to the Mars Color Imager (MARCI) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

A giant, once-in-a-decade dust storm swept over Mars in the summer of 2018. The dust clouded the solar panels of NASA's Opportunity rover, cutting off its power. Nobody has heard from the rover since June 10, 2018.

The orbiter captured the journey of the Opportunity rover, which was originally designed for a 90 day mission. The rover explored Mars for more than 14 years.

This final traverse map for NASA's Opportunity rover shows where the rover was located within Perseverance Valley the last date it made contact with its engineering team on June 10, 2018. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Mars' Curiosity rover, meanwhile, is still alive. The orbiter has watched Curiosity traverse the Gale Crater — it has traveled more than 14 miles since it landed in August 2012.

An animation shows the position of the Curiosity rover as it journeyed 1,106 feet (337 meters) through an area of Mount Sharp between May 31 and July 20, 2019. NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Mars' Curiosity rover, meanwhile, is still alive. The orbiter has watched Curiosity traverse the Gale Crater — it has traveled more than 14 miles since it landed in August 2012.

Mars' surface is covered in giant ripples and dunes.

The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured these sand ripples and large dune on February 9, 2009. Blue color has been added to make textures easier to see. NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Warmer weather brings giant avalanches to the red planet. The 2019 avalanche shown here plummeted down a 1,640-foot cliff.

The Hi-RISE camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this avalanche plunging down a 1,640-foot (500-meter) cliff on May 29, 2019. NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Known as brain terrain, this kind of pockmarked land on Mars remains a scientific mystery.

This surface texture of interconnected ridges and troughs is found throughout the mid-latitude regions of Mars. NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Dark sands streak across Mars' surface in its summer, then fade by winter. Scientists used to think flowing water caused these streaks, but most now believe they're caused by dark sand sliding down slopes.

This animated image series from the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show dark markings on a Martian slope changing with the seasons. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

Dark sands streak across Mars' surface in its summer, then fade by winter. Scientists used to think flowing water caused these streaks, but most now believe they're caused by dark sand sliding down slopes.

Large, pitted mounds on the red planet may contain methane.

Relatively bright mounds scattered throughout darker and diverse surfaces on Mars, May 15, 2018. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

Because Mars' atmosphere is much thinner than Earth's, it doesn't burn up meteors as efficiently. So many large chunks of rock blast the planet's surface, creating large craters.

A dramatic, fresh impact crater dominates this image taken by the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on November 19, 2013. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

Because Mars' atmosphere is much thinner than Earth's, it doesn't burn up meteors as efficiently. So many large chunks of rock blast the planet's surface, creating large craters.

The orbiter has also photographed Mars' two moons. The larger, Phobos, is just 13 miles across.

The HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took two images of Phobos on March 23, 2008. NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Occasionally, the orbiter's camera also turns back toward Earth.

This composite image of Earth and the moon as seen from Mars combines the best Earth image with the best moon image from four sets acquired by the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on November 20, 2016. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

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Towering dust devils, ancient dunes, and avalanches: 12 stunning images from NASA's Mars orbiter on its 15th anniversary

Mars is full of dust devils — millions form and die on the planet each day.

A giant, once-in-a-decade dust storm swept over Mars in the summer of 2018. The dust clouded the solar panels of NASA's Opportunity rover, cutting off its power. Nobody has heard from the rover since June 10, 2018.

The orbiter captured the journey of the Opportunity rover, which was originally designed for a 90 day mission. The rover explored Mars for more than 14 years.

Mars' Curiosity rover, meanwhile, is still alive. The orbiter has watched Curiosity traverse the Gale Crater — it has traveled more than 14 miles since it landed in August 2012.

Mars' surface is covered in giant ripples and dunes.

Warmer weather brings giant avalanches to the red planet. The 2019 avalanche shown here plummeted down a 1,640-foot cliff.

Known as brain terrain, this kind of pockmarked land on Mars remains a scientific mystery.

Dark sands streak across Mars' surface in its summer, then fade by winter. Scientists used to think flowing water caused these streaks, but most now believe they're caused by dark sand sliding down slopes.

Large, pitted mounds on the red planet may contain methane.

Because Mars' atmosphere is much thinner than Earth's, it doesn't burn up meteors as efficiently. So many large chunks of rock blast the planet's surface, creating large craters.

The orbiter has also photographed Mars' two moons. The larger, Phobos, is just 13 miles across.

Occasionally, the orbiter's camera also turns back toward Earth.