Hubble [telescope] just captured one of the coolest photos of Mars ever taken

[Hamartia Antidote]

http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/19/1...tograph-sun-opposition-hubble-space-telescope

A week ago, astronomers used NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to take this striking image of the Red Planet as it was 50 million miles away from Earth. The photo shows Mars' rusty landscape, its polar caps, and clouds, with details as small as 20 to 30 miles across.

Mars is particularly photogenic this time of the year because, in a few days, the Red Planet and the Sun will be on exact opposite sides of Earth — a phenomenon called "Mars opposition." So in the photo, you can see Mars perfectly illuminated by the Sun.

On May 30th, Mars will be at a distance of 46.8 million miles from Earth, the closest it's been in 11 years. Mars oppositions happen every two years, but the distance between Earth and Mars varies because the planets have different orbits. The closest approach in 60,000 years was in 2003, when Mars and Earth were only 34.6 million miles apart, according to NASA. That record will stand until August 28th, 2287.

 

[Tripoli]

Pretty cool.

 

[IceBreaker]

Google earth shows it better.

 

[Tripoli]

Google earth shows it better.

LOL

 

[Imtiaz_Sarwar]

No Mars looks so bright at these days. It is a joy just watching it.

 

[Imran Khan]

look really good without humans . if settle humans there and after few hundred years it will be trash like earth

 

[Shah Xaib]

nice but how do we know it is real? and not 3d

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

look really good without humans . if settle humans there and after few hundred years it will be trash like earth

I doubt it will take us that long to ruin Mars. More like a few decades.

 

[MUNTAZIR MAHDI]

بہت زبردست تصاویر ہیں

 

[Sparkle229]

I

I doubt it will take us that long to ruin Mars. More like a few decades.

If Pakistanis get settled it will take only a decade before it is turned into heap human trash

 

[Imran Khan]

I doubt it will take us that long to ruin Mars. More like a few decades.

RIP to red plant in advance

 

[war&peace]

look really good without humans . if settle humans there and after few hundred years it will be trash like earth

Not really true...have you seen the picture of the Earth from the space...it is the most beautiful planent despite all the mess. Secodly, humans won't be able to colonise Mars at least 200 years from now and will be only be for research purpose. Human will never get oxygen in Mars atmosphere by any means only possibility is some pressurised cabines on the surface of Mars for max of dozen of researchers staying there temporarily.