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| True Colors of Mars (ESA image) |
Martian snow particles were first detected by the Phoenix lander in 2008. Back then, NASA
thought
that such particles fell from the thin Martian clouds at a very slow rate. Scientists theorized that this snow
took “several hours to descend just one mile.”
Current models suggest that the descent is actually much quicker. In some “nighttime areas,” the Martian snow might take only “five to 10 minutes to drop a mile.” This could
result in a white dusting of the Martian soil, somewhat similar to that of a snowy “microburst” here on Earth.
It may not be enough for a sleigh ride, but certainly is enough for an awestruck round of “Silent Night.”
Resources
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/super-fast-falling-snowstorms-may-rage-on-mars-at-night/ar-AAqwi6S?OCID=ansmsnnews11
Copyright August 31, 2017 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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