Unveiling the Enigmatic Martian Nightglow: European Satellite's Surprising Findings
The European Space Agency's Trace Gas Orbiter satellite has detected a mysterious glow emanating from the night side of Mars in the planet's upper atmosphere. Researchers believe the glow is caused by the recombination of oxygen atoms carried by winds to the high winter latitudes, which then react with CO2 molecules and emit light in the visible range. The discovery could provide valuable information about the dynamics of Mars' upper atmosphere and guide future missions to the planet. Additionally, a glow in the ultraviolet range, likely caused by the nitric oxide molecule, has also been observed and will be further studied.