Skip Navigation
menu

Images

Dry Ice Spiders on Mars

As the Sun peeks above the horizon at the Martian south polar icecap, powerful jets of carbon-dioxide (CO2) gas erupt through the icecap's topmost layer.

July 01, 2011

Every spring it happens. As the Sun peeks above the horizon at the Martian south polar icecap, powerful jets of carbon-dioxide (CO2) gas erupt through the icecap's topmost layer. The jets climb high into the thin, cold air, carrying fine, dark sand and spraying it for hundreds of feet around each jet.

Credits

NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

ENLARGE

Related

The bright landing platform left behind by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in 2004 is visible inside Eagle Crater, at upper right in this April 8, 2017, observation by NASA's Mars Reconna...
More
The bright landing platform left behind by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in 2004 is visible inside Eagle Crater, at upper right in this April 8, 2017, observation by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Rover's Landing Hardware at Eagle Crater, Mars
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the location where it landed in August 2012 to its location in mid-November 2015, approaching examples of dunes in the "Bagnold D...
More
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the location where it landed in August 2012 to its location in mid-November 2015, approaching examples of dunes in the "Bagnold Dunes" dune field.
Curiosity Rover's Traverse, First 1,163 Sols on Mars
This area at the base of Mount Sharp on Mars includes a pale outcrop, called "Pahrump Hills," that NASA's Curiosity Mars rover investigated from September 2014 to March 2015, and the "Artist's Driv...
More
This area at the base of Mount Sharp on Mars includes a pale outcrop, called "Pahrump Hills," that NASA's Curiosity Mars rover investigated from September 2014 to March 2015, and the "Artist's Drive" route toward higher layers of the mountain.
Curiosity Heading Away from 'Pahrump Hills'
Two dark, rimless pits are located to the northwest of Ascraeus Mons in the Tharsis volcanic region of Mars.
More
Two dark, rimless pits are located to the northwest of Ascraeus Mons in the Tharsis volcanic region of Mars.
Dark Rimless Pits in the Tharsis Region
This artist's animation shows how NASA's Curiosity rover will communicate with Earth via two of NASA's Mars orbiters, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Odyssey. As the rover descends to the surface o...
More
Communicating with Curiosity
Communicating with Curiosity
From a distance, the floor of this crater looks like a giant honeycomb or spider web. The intersecting shapes, or polygons, commonly occur in the northern lowlands of Mars.
More
From a distance, the floor of this crater looks like a giant honeycomb or spider web. The intersecting shapes, or polygons, commonly occur in the northern lowlands of Mars.
Polygonal Patterned Ground
This 3D, or stereo anaglyph, view shows the parachute and back shell that helped guide NASA's Curiosity to the surface of Mars. The view was produced from images taken by the High Resolution Imagin...
More
This 3D, or stereo anaglyph, view shows the parachute and back shell that helped guide NASA's Curiosity to the surface of Mars.
Parachute and Back Shell in 3-D
This dune field in Aonia Terra shows sand dunes with a variety of morphologies. These complex shapes often indicate that the dominating winds change direction, either over time or from one locatio...
More
This dune field in Aonia Terra shows sand dunes with a variety of morphologies. These complex shapes often indicate that the dominating winds change direction, either over time or from one location to the next.
Colliding Sand Dunes in Aonia Terra
20080807_PR.jpg
More
20080807_PR.jpg
Clay Minerals in Mawrth Vallis Region of Mars
Eridania Basin Light-Toned Outcrops
More
Eridania Basin Light-Toned Outcrops
Eridania Basin Light-Toned Outcrops
NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this image of a meteoroid impact that was first detected by the agency’s InSight lander using its seismometer. This crater was formed on Aug. 30, 2021.
More
NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this image of a meteoroid impact that was first detected by the agency’s InSight lander using its seismometer. This crater was formed on Aug. 30, 2021.
InSight-Detected Impact in August 2021
This view of layered rocks on the floor of McLaughlin Crater shows sedimentary rocks that contain spectroscopic evidence for minerals formed through interaction with water.
More
This view of layered rocks on the floor of McLaughlin Crater shows sedimentary rocks that contain spectroscopic evidence for minerals formed through interaction with water.
Layers with Carbonate Content Inside McLaughlin Crater on Mars (Annotated Figure 1)
In February 2015, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is approaching a cumulative driving distance on Mars equal to the length of a marathon race. This map shows the rover's position relative...
More
In February 2015, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is approaching a cumulative driving distance on Mars equal to the length of a marathon race. This map shows the rover's position relative to where it could surpass that distance.
Opportunity Rover Nears Mars Marathon Feat (Unlabeled)
A region known as "Cape York" on the western rim of Endeavour Crater, where NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity worked for 20 months, is highlighted in these images.
More
A region known as "Cape York" on the western rim of Endeavour Crater, where NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity worked for 20 months, is highlighted in these images.
'Cape York' Explored
This HiRISE image shows a group of cones, shield-like features, and round mounds.
More
This HiRISE image shows a group of cones, shield-like features, and round mounds.
Small Mounds in Chryse Planitia (3-D)
This image shows the landing site of NASA's Curiosity rover and destinations scientists want to investigate.
More
This image shows the landing site of NASA's Curiosity rover and destinations scientists want to investigate.
Glenelg Intrigue
This picture of a heart-shaped feature in Arabia Terra on Mars was taken on May 23, 2010, by the Context Camera (CTX) on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
More
This picture of a heart-shaped feature in Arabia Terra on Mars was taken on May 23, 2010, by the Context Camera (CTX) on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Heart-shaped Feature in Arabia Terra (Wide View)
The bright linear features cutting the bedrock in the center region of this image look like mineral veins.
More
The bright linear features cutting the bedrock in the center region of this image look like mineral veins.
Mineral Veins (3-D)
The Eridania basin of southern Mars is believed to have held a sea about 3.7 billion years ago, with seafloor deposits likely resulting from underwater hydrothermal activity. This graphic shows est...
More
Estimated Water Depths in Ancient Martian Sea
Estimated Water Depths in Ancient Martian Sea
This movie sequence of images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) shows comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring before and after its close pass by Mars in October 2014. False color enhances subtle ...
More
Mars-Flyby Comet in False Color
Mars-Flyby Comet in False Color
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the location where it landed in August 2012 to its location in December 2015, at examples of the Bagnold Dunes.
More
This map shows the route driven by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover from the location where it landed in August 2012 to its location in December 2015, at examples of the Bagnold Dunes.
Curiosity Rover's Traverse, First 1,185 Sols on Mars
This "ring trough" or eroded pit crater, is located in the rugged southern highland terrain known as Noachis Terra. The HiRISE image shows the layered, boulder-rich wall rock facing to the northeas...
More
Geologically young gullies are a prime target for the HiRISE camera. Gullies are located in a variety of settings and are found all over Mars. This "ring trough" or eroded pit crater, is located in the rugged southern highland terrain known as Noachis Terra. The HiRISE image shows the layered, boulder-rich wall rock facing to the northeast and gullies that are transporting material downslope. The material collects into debris aprons along the walls, which often exhibit narrow channels along its surface.
Gullies on Southwest Slope of Ring Trough in Noachis Terra
A radar on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has detected widespread deposits of glacial ice in the mid-latitudes of Mars.
More
Glacial Ice Deposits in Mid-Latitudes of Mars
Glacial Ice Deposits in Mid-Latitudes of Mars
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been on the western rim of Endeavour Crater in Meridiani Planum for about two years.
More
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been on the western rim of Endeavour Crater in Meridiani Planum for about two years.
Color View From Orbit Showing Opportunity in 'Botany Bay' (Unannotated)
These dark streaks, also known as “slope streaks,” resulted from dust avalanches on Mars. The HiRISE camera aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured them on Dec. 26, 2017.
More
These dark streaks, also known as “slope streaks,” resulted from dust avalanches on Mars. The HiRISE camera aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured them on Dec. 26, 2017.
HiRISE Spots Slope Streaks Fanning Out on Mars

You Might Also Like

The agency is asking the NASA community to work together to develop a revised plan that leverages innovation and proven technology.
More
NASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs
NASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs
NASA has proven powered, controlled flight is possible on other worlds, just as the Wright brothers proved it was possible on Earth.
More
After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends
After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends
The agency established the board in May 2023 to evaluate the technical, cost, and schedule plans prior to confirmation of the mission’s design.
More
NASA Releases Independent Review's Mars Sample Return Report
NASA Releases Independent Review's Mars Sample Return Report
A pair of quakes in 2021 sent seismic waves deep into the Red Planet’s core, giving scientists the best data yet on its size and composition.
More
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
Ten sample tubes, capturing an amazing variety of Martian geology, have been deposited on Mars’ surface so they could be studied on Earth in the future.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
Filled with rock, the sample tube will be one of 10 forming a depot of tubes that could be considered for a journey to Earth by the Mars Sample Return campaign.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface