Remarkable Nasa photo shows eerie Mars landscape scattered with ‘TREES' – and it's not the only mystery in the sand
However, the US space agency was quick to explain otherwise.
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6
The image was captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Credit: NASA
6
Dark streaks in the sand give the illusion of trees
Credit: NASA
"
Are these trees growing on Mars? No," Nasa
"
Groups of dark brown streaks have been photographed by the
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
on melting pinkish sand dunes covered with light frost.
"
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which had been in space just two years before taking the shot, was able to capture dark sand
on the interior of Martian sand
dunes
- giving the illusion of trees.
These tree-like dark streaks of sand are located near Mars' North Pole - which are usually covered in a layer of carbon dioxide ice in the winter.
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The dark sand had
become more visible during the Martian spring, when the Sun melted the lighter
carbon dioxide ice on the surface of the sand.
"
When occurring near the top of a dune,
dark sand may cascade
down the dune leaving
dark surface streaks -
streaks that might appear at first to be
tree
s standing in front of the lighter regions but cast no shadows," explained Nasa.
"
Objects about 25cm across are resolved on
this image
spanning about one kilometer.
"
Close ups of some parts of this image show
billowing plume
s indicating that the
sand slides
were occurring even while the image was being taken.
"
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Exclusive
Exclusive
But they're not the only bizarre-looking specimens located in Mars' faraway sands.
6
Can you spot the face?
Credit: NASA
A b
uried face
What looks like a grisly,
The image, taken by the rover in September, appears to show a sandy face with a large brow bone, nostrils and a sloping mouth on the left side.
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6
Which do you see first - the angel or the heart?
Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin
South Pole 'angel'
On the opposite side of the planet to Mars' mysterious 'trees', lies an 'angel' in the Martian regolith.
Snapped by the European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Express, this image of the Red Planet's South Pole seems to show an angel and a heart together.
ESA
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6
Humans have found no signs of life on Mars - yet
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Martian bone
In 2014,
Nasa's Curiosity rover sent a photo back to Earth with what looked like a
femur bone
from a human thigh
in the sand.
Of course, it was just a strangely shaped rock - and not quite proof of aliens.
Scientists at the time said the unusual shape was most likely the product of erosion by wind or water.
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6
There's no telling how far down this pit goes
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona
Deep pit
This deep and oddly circular pit on Mars could lead to an extensive network of underground tunnels that may
Scientists captured the image of the hole from orbit at the Martian South Pole in 2017.
While Nasa doesn't have any definitive answers on this odd round pit, the circular formation is likely a collapse pit or an impact crater.
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Mars facts
Here's what you need to know about the red planet...
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun
It is named after the Roman god of war
The landmass of Mars is very similar to Earth but due to the difference in gravity you could jump three times higher there than you can here
Mars is mountainous and hosts the tallest mountain known in the Solar System called Olympus Mons, which is three times higher than Everest
Mars is considered to be the second most habitable planet after Earth
It takes the planet 687 Earth days to orbit the Sun
The planet has a diameter of 4,212 miles, and has an average distance from Earth of 140 million miles
Martian temperatures can vary wildly, reaching as high as 70F/20C or as low as -225F/-153C
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