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• THE LUNAR EXPLORER ARCHIVES
• MOON
• MARS
• SOLAR SYSTEM
• DEEP SKY

A R C H I V E S

Although they are not as pronounced as they are on the Sky of our Home-Planet Earth, Clouds are still a common feature on Mars. The Martian Atmosphere has only traces of Water Vapor but, however, the average temperature and pressure is such that the Atmosphere itself is usually close to saturation, and therefore capable to produce Clouds. Even from Earth-based telescopes, various types of Clouds (as well as the shadows that they projected on the Surface of the Red Planet) have been, in time, observed and monitored on Mars. It is obvious that numerous - and often fascinating - Cloud Patterns have also been seen and photographed by the NASA - Mariner Spacecrafts as well as by the NASA - Viking One and Two Orbiters, by the Mars Global Surveyor and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiters (not mentioning all the Landers and Rovers which, in time, have reached the Martian Surface and then, among others, took pictures of the Sky above). All these kinds of Clouds (and other similar phenomena, like Fog and Haze), have afterwards been classified into 6 (six) main categories (see: Carr, 1981 and French et al. 1981):

1. Lee Waves: this kind of Clouds form in the lee (such as that side of any given Surface Feature that is protected from the action of the Wind) of large obstacles, such as Mountains, Ridges, Hills, Craters having tall Rims and so forth;
   
2. Wave Clouds: these Clouds appear as rows of Linear Clouds; they are relatively common at the Edge of both Martian Polar Caps;
   
3. Cloud Streets: these Clouds exhibit a double periodicity: they appear as linear rows of cumulus-like and bubble-shaped clouds;
   
4. Streaky Clouds: Clouds which have a defined direction but no periodicity;
   
5. Fog or Ground Hazes: Fog usually occurs in low areas such as Valleys, Canyons and the bottom of Channels, Fissures and deep Craters and Collapse Pits. It forms during the coolest times of the day, such as Dawn and Dusk. Sometimes, Ground-Haze is caused by Dust in the Atmosphere; however, if the Atmosphere is clear, then Ground-Fog can be easily identified;
   
6. Plumes: which are just elongated Clouds. When they do not have a Volcanic Origin, they still appear like having a source of rising material at their base and, in many cases, they are made of Dust Particles only.

If you look at the GIF-Movie carefully, it will be also interesting for you to note a very bright spark that appears at mid-altitude, on the left (Sx) side of the frame. We, as IPF, have not been able to identify its origin with absolute certainty but, however, we do believe that it could either be an image-artifact of some kind, or the "light-mark" left by the passage of a Cosmic Ray (remember that, unlike it happens on our Home-Planet Earth, on Mars a number of Cosmic Rays continuously reach the Surface and, in a way, "sterilize" it and keeps it sterile from either the birth - or the subsequent growth, as the case may be - of any possible Earth-like Lifeform). Of course, this same conclusion cannot be taken if we consider other Martian locations, like the inside of deep Caves, Skylights and/or underground Lava-Tubes: all places that cannot be reached by Cosmic Rays and where we believe - as well as many other (even NASA) Scientists - that the Atmosphere is certainly thicker and most likely warmer (particularly in that period of the Martian Year going from the Late Spring until the Middle Summer).