While the journey towards exploring Mars continues for UAE’s Hope Probe, in a new discovery, the Hope Probe captures stunning photos of the planet Mars.
As the Hope probe successfully entered Mars’ orbit in February, the team on the mission has now captured some stunning images of atomic hydrogen surrounding the Red Planet.
The images were captured last month on April 24 and 25 by spacecraft’s Emirates Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) after transitioning into its science orbit. The images were captured over the course of 10 hours and 34 minutes.
This has been the first mission ever on any planet that was able to capture images from different points of view over the course of a day.
Sharing the news, Hope Mars Mission in a statement said, “The Emirates Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) took images of atomic hydrogen surrounding Mars on 24 & 25 April 2021 after transitioning to the Science Orbit. EMM is the first mission at any planet that is able to make images from different points of view over the course of a day.”
The Emirates Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) took images of atomic hydrogen surrounding Mars on 24 & 25 April 2021 after transitioning to the Science Orbit. EMM is the first mission at any planet that is able to make images from different points of view over the course of a day. pic.twitter.com/65h2qyYkML
— Hope Mars Mission (@HopeMarsMission) May 11, 2021
During this period, the Hope Probe moved from being over the planet near noon and viewing the entire dayside, to being over the planet at dusk and seeing both the day and night side.
“These images will be used to reconstruct the 3D distribution of hydrogen and learn more about its production through the process of splitting water molecules by sunlight and its eventual escape to space. #HopeProbe,” the statement further read.
The Hope probe successfully entered Mars’ orbit in February, making the UAE the fifth country in the world and the first in the Arab region to reach Mars. The mission’s two-year science data collection will formally commence on May 23, 2021, with data being made available globally in October.
Image: Shutterstock
