Space

APOD: 2026 November 2 – A Long Cloud on Mars

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Briefings

A 2026 APOD article describes a long cloud on Mars named the Arsia Mons Elongated Cloud (AMEC), first recorded by Viking Orbiter 2 in 1977. The image from 2018 shows the cloud forming near Arsia Mons during spring/summer mornings, extending over 1500 km downstream. Made of water-ice, it forms without dust, as dust-free conditions prevent standard cloud crystal processes. The cloud's behavior remains a subject of ongoing research.

Key points

• The Arsia Mons Elongated Cloud (AMEC) is a water-ice cloud on Mars first recorded by NASA's Viking Orbiter 2 in 1977.
• The cloud forms only during spring and summer seasons and specifically during morning hours, creating a tail that extends over 1500 kilometers downstream.

Context

This APOD explains a unique Martian cloud phenomenon caused by Arsia Mons, with the image from 2018 showing the cloud's formation and tail. Research continues to understand how water-ice clouds form without dust in the Martian atmosphere.

Limitations

The image is from 2018; the cloud's behavior and causes remain subject to ongoing research. Specific details about the cloud's formation mechanism are speculative, and the tail's extent is estimated at 1500 kilometers.

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