Mars photo reveals a mysterious cloud, scientists uncover its secrets

Earlier this week, the European Space Agency released stellar images of planet Mars that saw an unexpected photobomb from an "extremely elongated" cloud right above the Arsia Mons volcano. This citing gave much more insight into the red planet than expected and helped scientists form viable inferences. Strangely enough, this is not the first time that the tail-like cloud has made an appearance and has, in fact, proved to be timely, as it was discovered after a yearly cycle.

Cloud on Mars

Image Credit - ESA

While the cloud is no stranger to the scientists, it's the first time that they could put a finger on its origin and why is that it's always spotted at the same location at the same time. The Arsia Mons Elongated Cloud is a long, thin water ice cloud that stretches from the Arsia Mons volcano all the way to the Olympus Mons volcano, which is the tallest mountain in the solar system. It was previously believed that the cloud was a product of the volcano eruptions as it appeared to be emanating out of it.

But upon taking a closer look, scientists realised that this phenomenon actually forms because of the volcano's leeward slope and when the moist air around it is forced up the flank, turning into a condensed state after reaching higher and significantly cooler altitudes. Once the cloud reaches its limit, it moves away from the original location towards the west due to the winds. It finally evaporates in the late morning when the temperature shifts.

According to Space, orographic clouds on Earth are never as big or dynamic as the Martian clouds. Other details about the cloud include that the cloud is 1,800 km long and 150 km across, grows at a baffling speed of about 600 kph before it stops expanding and has a dynamic pattern. The cloud is formed every year around the southern solstice i.e. when the sun is located in the southernmost position in the sky and reappears after every 80 days or so. Since the latest research delved much deeper into the source and the life cycle of this cloud, henceforth it will be easier for NASA to observe the Martian cloud.