Whats that on Mars? Passing NASA spacecraft snaps unsolved mystery.
NASA's Psyche spacecraft captured intriguing images of Mars during its recent flyby. The bright patch observed is actually the planet's frozen south pole, which appears distorted due to the spacecraft's steep approach angle. These images provide the sharpest view of the water ice-rich region, measuring over 430 miles across.
- ▪NASA's Psyche spacecraft photographed Mars on May 15, 2026, during a gravity assist maneuver.
- ▪The bright white feature in the images is the frozen south pole of Mars, not a storm or cloud bank.
- ▪The south polar cap stretches more than 430 miles and was captured at a resolution of just over a half-mile per pixel.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Home > Science > Space What's that on Mars? Passing NASA spacecraft snaps unsolved mystery. That was a worthwhile detour. By Elisha Sauers Elisha Sauers Elisha Sauers writes about space for Mashable, taking deep dives into NASA's moon and Mars missions, chatting up astronauts and history-making discoverers, and jetting above the clouds. Through 17 years of reporting, she's covered a variety of topics, including health, business, and government, with a penchant for public records requests. She previously worked for The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia, and The Capital in Annapolis, Maryland. Her work has earned numerous state awards, including the Virginia Press Association's top honor, Best in Show, and national recognition for narrative storytelling.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Mashable.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Mashable
