- Strong winds have sculpted interesting shapes at the Martian South Pole, including what appears to be an angel and a massive red heart.
- The images of the shapes have been exhibited by the European Space Agency,
- The south pole of Mars is actually quite humid, with liquid water under an icy crust, so understanding the forces working in the region could unlock some of the planet’s secrets.
It is the holiday season in many countries on Earth, and if you opt for the religious meanings of various dates on the calendar, you are probably familiar with the angels associated with these events. Based on new images released by the European Space Agency, it looks like Mars decided to play this year, with various forces sculpting shapes near the planet’s south pole that look very much like a daring angel and red heart.
Researchers study interesting shapes not because they look like something that can be seen on a holiday mural here on Earth, but because of the interesting events that made them possible. Of course, if you feel like a vacation, you can only imagine that Mars decorated us.
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So what made exactly these shapes form? Well, it’s actually a little tricky. The large “halo” around the angel’s head is actually an impact crater that formed the head and spread a cascade of material into the surrounding area. Meanwhile, some of the other lower regions are the result of ice turning to gas, forming a depression.
ESA explains:
The “angel” and the “heart” are made up of several interesting features. First, it is believed that the angel’s hand, seen as if reaching the left, is a large sublimation pit, a type of feature that forms as the ice turns to gas and leaves empty pockets. and depressions on the planetary surface (a process that often occurs as the seasons change). Sublimation pits have been seen on other planets in the solar system, such as Pluto, and can also be seen scattered across the ground on the right.
Far from being the dry, dusty wasteland that scientists once assumed, Mars has been shown to have a dynamic climate in many of its regions, with ice water and liquid saltwater near its poles. If the theory that Mars once had water wealth holds, well, water, it is possible that there was life for a long time. Unfortunately, it is also possible that Mars was a rocky, watery world that never got all the ingredients it needed to form life.
Future missions, including NASA’s rover Perseverance, which is currently on its way to Mars, could shed light on the history (or lack thereof) of life on Mars, but for now, at least we know there’s a heart and an angel there.
Mike Wehner has reported on technology and video games over the past decade, addressing the latest developments and trends in VR, portable devices, smartphones and future technology. Most recently, Mike worked as a technical editor at The Daily Dot and has appeared on USA Today, Time.com and countless other web and print outlets. His love of reporting is only second to his gambling addiction.