One of Mars’ long time residents, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, took some high resolution images of a recent impact on the planet’s surface.

Mars, like Earth and all the other planets, receives its fair share of meteorites.  Like Earth, only a few of them survive to actually hit the ground with any remarkable results.

Recently, however, the orbiter got this image of an impact that shows a crater about 100 feet (30 meters) in diameter at the center.  The impact threw debris up to 9.3 miles (15 kilometers) from the center.

Scientists are currently studying the data for a variety of information, both about Mars and what lies beneath and the meteorite and how it could affect future missions to the red planet.

So I am sure you are wondering why the image is blue and not red like the rest of the planet.  It turns out that the terrain where the crater formed is dusty, the fresh crater appears blue in the enhanced color due to the lack of reddish dust.  At first glance I thought it might be frozen water or CO2, but its just dust.

– Ex astris, scientia –

I am and avid amateur astronomer and intellectual property attorney in Pasadena, California and I am a Rising Star as rated by Super Lawyers Magazine.  As a former Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, I am a proud member of the Armed Service Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association working to aid all active duty and veterans in our communities. Connect with me on Google +

Norman