Naked Universe of Ana

Martian snow❄️

Added 2024-12-31 20:19:36 +0000 UTC

The closest place to Earth where snow falls is Mars. The average temperature on the Red Planet is a balmy -60 °C perfect for snow formation if you like your winters Siberian and your frostbite instant. But Martian snowfalls are nothing like the cozy, fluffy ones we know, thanks to its thin atmosphere and otherworldly climate.

In 2008, NASA’s Phoenix lander observed water snow falling from clouds near Mars' north pole. This snow consists of tiny ice crystals, but because the atmospheric pressure is just 6 mbar (0.6% Earth's), and the temperature is brutally low, the snow sublimates before reaching the surface.

In 2012, snow made of carbon dioxide (dry ice) was detected near Mars' south pole during its winter. This type of snow forms at temperatures below -125 °C. Unlike water snow, these particles can actually hit the ground, but they evaporate almost instantly when the sun rises.

Martian snow falls from high-altitude clouds and drifts down slowly, thanks to the planet’s thin atmosphere and weak gravity. Picture it as snowflakes in slow motion, taking their sweet time, only to ghost the surface before making contact. Even in a rare storm, snow never sticks around.

In short, Martian snowfalls are rare, fleeting, and scientifically fascinating—but not much use if you're hoping to build a snowman or snowwoman😏