The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently shared captivating video footage showcasing aurora lights illuminating the Martian sky in stunning purple hues. These ethereal displays were captured by NASA’s Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph instrument aboard the Maven (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) orbiter.
Between May 14 and 20 of this year, the Maven spacecraft hovered over Mars, capturing mesmerizing views of its nightside. The instrument, launched in 2014, will mark its 10th anniversary in September, coinciding with NASA’s 10th anniversary of exploration at Mars.
The NASA instrument tracked the auroras as vibrant purple lights. While these lights are not truly purple in reality, the color represents the presence of auroras across Mars’ sky. Brighter areas indicate a higher concentration of auroras.
NASA’s instrument identified these auroras as waves of energetic particles originating from a solar storm. However, the purple pattern abruptly cut off when the most intense particles arrived, overwhelming the instrument with noise, as explained by NASA in an Instagram post.
Auroras on Earth differ significantly from those on Mars. On Earth, a robust magnetic field shields the planet, confining auroras to regions near the poles. In contrast, Mars has lost its internal magnetic field, leaving it vulnerable to a constant barrage of energetic particles that interact with its atmosphere, resulting in auroras that engulf the entire planet.
