The James Webb Space Telescope's main goal is to detect faint light from distant galaxies, but it recently observed one of the brightest objects in the night sky: Mars.
Multiple orbiters above Mars, and the land-bound rovers Curiosity and Perseverance, roam the surface, regularly send back insights. Webb's infrared capabilities contribute another perspective that could reveal details about the Martian surface and atmosphere.
The new images depict Mars' eastern hemisphere in different wavelengths of infrared light. To the left is a reference map of the hemisphere captured by the Mars Global Surveyor mission, which ended in 2006. When this thermal light passes through the Martian atmosphere, some of it is absorbed by carbon dioxide molecules. This phenomenon has caused the Hellas Planitia to appear darker.
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