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NASA’s robotic spacecraft was able to take a strange photo of a dragon-like feature on the surface of Mars. According to mission specialists, the strange image was made by different natural phenomena on the Red Planet.
The stunning photo was captured by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). This is a robotic spacecraft launched by NASA in 2005 to observe the Red Planet from its orbit.
NASA / JPL / UArizona
Discovering the dragon from space
The last image of the MRO was captured using its High Resolution Imaging Experiment (HiRISE) camera, operated by the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. It was taken while the spacecraft was flying about 257 kilometers from the surface of the red planet.
At first glance, the image looks like a bronze-colored dragon lying on the ground. Various features such as the dragon’s head, eyes, nostrils, and elongated body can be clearly seen in the photo. Other notable features, such as horns and limbs, are also visible in the image.
Exploring the Melas Chasma canyon
According to the HiRISE team, the image was taken in a region of Mars known as Melas Chasma. It is a canyon that contains deposits of blocks of light and dark tones. These blocks vary in size, with diameters reaching up to 500 meters.
“Along the Melas Chasma floor is an unusual block deposit made up of light-toned blocks in a darker matrix,” the University of Arizona stated in a blog post. “The high resolution of the HiRISE image reveals layers only a few meters thick in some of the light-toned blocks. The blocks vary in size but most fall between 100 and 500 meters in diameter.”
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Shaping the Martian Dragon
As scientists at the University of Arizona explained, the main image of the dragon sculpture was made by the different colored blocks in the area. The image became more detailed due to various natural factors in Melas Chasma, such as strong winds and tectonic activity.
“Although most of the blocks appear rounded, others have angular edges and can be very elongated,” said the university. “The block morphologies suggest a ductile deformation, such as a flux or a tectonic disruption after placement. Wind blown (wind) waves are sandwiched between the blocks in the darker matrix.”
