The renowned latest Mars rover from NASA, the Perseverance, has caught another "dust devil" on the planet as the space neighbor is now in its summer season. However, do not mistake these dust devils for creatures or extraterrestrial beings, as they are not.
Rather, they are atmospheric conditions brought by harsh whirlwinds that form on its surface.
The Perseverance mission is centered on discovering more than water, rocks, and events on Mars, as it also looks into the various conditions that humans may encounter should a mission take place in the future.
NASA Perseverance Catches Dust Devil on Mars
(Photo : NASA via Getty Images)
The latest release from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory shows captured footage from the Perseverance rover of another sighting of a dust devil on the far horizon of Mars. It shows how a dust-filled Martian whirlwind hurled itself across a mountain on the planet, twisting amidst the barren land, along the western rim of the Jezero Crater.
Percy is known for its task to learn more about the Jezero Crater but is also looking at other anomalies apart from collecting rocks and looking for signs of water. The atmospheric phenomenon was seen last August 30 on the 899th Sol (Mars' day) of its mission.
The Perseverance rover caught the dust devil in 21 frames using its Navcams, with the video supplied by NASA sped up over 20 times to show its motion.
(Photo : NASA/JPL-Caltech )
The Dust Devil seen on the outer edge of the Jezero Crater (seen in white), moving east at 12 mph.
Mars' Summer Season: Dust Whirlwinds
The Dust Whirlwinds are regarded by NASA's JPL to be weaker and smaller compared to the Earth's tornadoes, but for Mars, this is the phenomenon that helps move dust and shape the planet. The dust devil was seen at the "Thorofare Ridge," as dubbed by the researchers, moving at 12 miles per hour due east, seen by the rover at about 2.5 miles away.
According to the researchers, they do not see the top of the dust devils but the shadows that were captured could give them an idea of how tall it was.
Dust Devils on Mars
There were earlier expeditions on Mars that caught the infamous 'Dust Devils' on the planet, and while they are only called this way and do not represent a creature here, it is still something to be wary of. This is an atmospheric anomaly, with the wind's force on the planet creating a whirlwind that could resemble an entity, highlighting one of the top dangers humans could face here.
Percy had an earlier sighting of Dust Devils on the Red Planet, and it occurred last December on Mars, around the time when these are at their peak. The climate phenomenon also became a popular discovery for researchers, especially as it could help understand the atmosphere on the planet, something which Perseverance is also observing.
The mission on Mars is paving the way for future human explorations in the neighboring planet, with humans having little knowledge of what is in there, particularly with natural phenomena. Dust Devils may pose a threat to humans as they could damage their apparatus or instruments, as well as space suits, with Perseverance spotting one now during its peak amid the Summer season on Mars.
Related Article: Interesting Mars Rover Discoveries of 2023: Here's What's Been Found So Far
