Earth and Moon As Seen From Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

Photo Courtesy Universe Today

I found this photo at Universe Today, and couldn't help swiping it. The photo was taken from a hundred million miles away. [Windows to the Universe]


Everyone you know, and everyone who has ever lived, has trod on the blue marble, and a dozen have earned the opportunity to trod on the silver marble a quarter of a million miles away. The view, as the title suggests, is from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in orbit around Mars. The instrument used to take the photo is the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE)and it managed to capture photos of an avalanche in progress on Mars. The current thinking is that the springtime warm up sublimated a layer of frost/ice (carbon dioxide) into vapor, and the material above slid down the 60 degree slope.

On a related note, those in the USA might be able to see the occultation of Venus by the Moon later this afternoon if they have the right equipment and a clear sky.