{"id":14408,"date":"2025-05-19T09:59:16","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T07:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/?p=14408"},"modified":"2025-11-27T19:30:39","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T18:30:39","slug":"aurora-on-mars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/poollicht-op-mars\/","title":{"rendered":"Aurora on Mars: a green spectacle in the red sky"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Aurora on Mars<\/strong>-it sounds like science fiction, but recently it has become hard reality. In March 2024, a unique event was captured by NASA's Perseverance rover: for the first time, aurora on a planet other than Earth has been photographed from the surface in visible light. Not ultraviolet or infrared, but a green glow you could see with the naked eye. What does this discovery mean for future astronauts and for our understanding of the solar system?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What caused the aurora on Mars?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On March 15, 2024, the sun produced a powerful solar flare, followed by a so-called <em>coronal mass ejection<\/em> (<a href=\"http:\/\/nasa.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CME<\/a>): a huge emission of electrically charged plasma. Such events are familiar to us on Earth: they cause northern or southern lights here, when solar particles collide with the Earth's magnetic field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Mars <strong>has no magnetic field<\/strong>. Yet auroras were observed there. How could that be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key lies in another type of aurora: a <em>solar energetic particle (SEP) aurora<\/em>. In this process, solar particles interact directly with Mars' tenuous atmosphere. In this case, the collisions between solar particles and oxygen atoms caused a green glow at a wavelength of 557.7 nanometers-pretty much within the range of the human eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why this is special<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until now, auroras on Mars had been seen only from orbit, for example by NASA's MAVEN probe. That we are now <strong>from the surface<\/strong> can observe, is a breakthrough. Thanks to the precision settings of the <em>SuperCam spectrometer<\/em> and <em>Mastcam-Z camera<\/em> from the Perseverance rover allowed the team of Elise Wright Knutsen (University of Oslo) and others to capture this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moreover, this means we can now predict space weather on Mars. According to the researchers, it was known three days in advance that the CME would hit Mars-time enough to properly point the cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does this mean for future manned missions?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Astronauts who will soon land on Mars could thus see this kind of aurora with their own eyes. Provided conditions are favorable-think clear skies and intense solar activity-the skies of Mars could become a spectacular spectacle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But there is more than aesthetics. Detecting auroras on Mars is <strong>of great importance to safety<\/strong> of future Mars travelers. Solar eruptions bring radiation that can be dangerous to humans. If we can predict such events in time, we can better protect astronauts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The larger context: Mars as an observatory<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At telescoop.com, we keep a weekly eye on international space news. And this kind of news fits right into a trend we've been seeing for some time: Mars is not only a destination for exploration, but also a platform for science across the solar system. Think of the meteorite impacts recorded there, the atmosphere monitored day and night, and now the auroras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That NASA's Perseverance was able to make this observation proves how powerful and versatile this rover is. Since 2021, it has been exploring Jezero Crater, a place where water once flowed and may contain traces of ancient life. But at the same time, he is thus also contributing to our understanding of solar activity and space weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">And what can we here on earth do with it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For amateur stargazers, this is a fascinating phenomenon. It shows that auroras are not an exclusively terrestrial phenomenon, but a <strong>cosmic process<\/strong>. And that raises new questions. Can we also observe auroras on other planets with tenuous atmospheres, such as Venus? Or even on exoplanets?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those interested in tracking solar activity and space weather themselves can already do a lot themselves. Consider apps such as <strong>SpaceWeatherLive<\/strong>, or using special filters to track solar eruptions. On our website you will soon find a guide for those who want to predict auroras themselves, on Earth and elsewhere.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Poollicht op Mars\u2014het klinkt als sciencefiction, maar sinds kort is het harde realiteit. In maart 2024 werd een unieke gebeurtenis vastgelegd door NASA\u2019s Perseverance rover: voor het eerst is aurora op een andere planeet dan de aarde vanaf het oppervlak gefotografeerd in zichtbaar licht. Geen ultraviolet of infrarood, maar een groene gloed die je met [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14409,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[168,2985],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-astronomie-kenniscentrum","category-astronomie-101"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/poollicht-op-mars.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3998,"url":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/leven-op-mars-nasa-onderzoekt-nieuwe-mogelijkheden\/","url_meta":{"origin":14408,"position":0},"title":"Life on Mars: NASA explores new possibilities","author":"admin","date":"21-10-2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Wetenschappers denken dat smeltwater onder het Mars-ijs mogelijk microbieel leven zou kunnen ondersteunen. Hoewel er nog nooit bewijs is gevonden voor leven op Mars, suggereert een nieuwe studie van NASA dat microben mogelijk onder bevroren water op het oppervlak van de planeet zouden kunnen overleven. Via computermodellen hebben de auteurs\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Astronomie 101&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Astronomie 101","link":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/astronomie-kenniscentrum\/astronomie-101\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Illustratie bij blogartikel","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14896,"url":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/mars-door-een-telescoop\/","url_meta":{"origin":14408,"position":1},"title":"Mars through a telescope: what do you see during opposition?","author":"Info telescoop","date":"04-07-2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Mars door een telescoop zien is voor veel mensen een magisch moment. Niet alleen omdat het een nabije buurplaneet is, maar omdat je met het juiste moment, goede instellingen en een beetje geduld (heel belangrijk!) daadwerkelijk details op het oppervlak kunt waarnemen. Denk aan poolkappen, donkere gebieden en zelfs seizoensveranderingen.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Astronomie Kenniscentrum&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Astronomie Kenniscentrum","link":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/astronomie-kenniscentrum\/astronomie-kenniscentrum\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"mars door een telescoop","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/mars-.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1221,"url":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/planeten-in-ons-zonnestelsel\/","url_meta":{"origin":14408,"position":2},"title":"Planets in our solar system","author":"admin","date":"29-05-2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Ons zonnestelsel is een mooie en bijzondere plek, bestaande uit de zon en de acht planeten die daaromheen draaien. Elk van deze planeten heeft unieke eigenschappen en biedt talloze interessante feiten om te ontdekken. In deze blogpost zullen we de planeten in volgorde van hun afstand tot de zon verkennen,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Astronomie 101&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Astronomie 101","link":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/astronomie-kenniscentrum\/astronomie-101\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/500px-Neptune_Voyager2_color_calibrated.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2039,"url":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/leven-op-aarde-het-unieke-karakter-van-onze-planeet\/","url_meta":{"origin":14408,"position":3},"title":"Life on earth: the uniqueness of our planet","author":"admin","date":"23-09-2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Wat de aarde uniek maakt in het zonnestelsel, is het leven. Dankzij de aanwezigheid van water, de juiste temperatuur, en een geschikte atmosfeer vol zuurstof, is de aarde het enige bekende hemellichaam dat leven herbergt. Van microben tot mensen, de biosfeer van de aarde is levendig en divers. Water: de\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Astronomie 101&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Astronomie 101","link":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/astronomie-kenniscentrum\/astronomie-101\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"telescoop","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-pixabay-41950.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-pixabay-41950.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pexels-pixabay-41950.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12492,"url":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/foto-aarde\/","url_meta":{"origin":14408,"position":4},"title":"Photo Earth: a unique look at our planet","author":"Info telescoop","date":"28-02-2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Een foto aarde die geschiedenis schrijft Een foto aarde gemaakt vanuit de ruimte biedt een perspectief dat ons dagelijks zicht op de wereld overstijgt. Sinds de eerste opnames van de aarde door ruimtevaartuigen hebben deze beelden ons niet alleen ge\u00efnspireerd, maar ook cruciale inzichten gegeven over onze planeet en haar\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Astronomie Kenniscentrum&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Astronomie Kenniscentrum","link":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/astronomie-kenniscentrum\/astronomie-kenniscentrum\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AthenaEarth.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AthenaEarth.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AthenaEarth.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AthenaEarth.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AthenaEarth.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/AthenaEarth.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14648,"url":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/is-de-maan-een-planeet\/","url_meta":{"origin":14408,"position":5},"title":"Is the Moon a planet?","author":"Info telescoop","date":"12-06-2025","format":false,"excerpt":"De vraag \u201cIs de Maan een planeet?\u201d wordt verrassend vaak gesteld. Zeker door kinderen, maar ook door volwassenen die net beginnen met sterrenkunde. En het is begrijpelijk: de Maan is rond, heeft een oppervlak vol kraters, en draait aan de hemel zoals een planeet dat zou doen. Toch is het\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Astronomie Kenniscentrum&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Astronomie Kenniscentrum","link":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/astronomie-kenniscentrum\/astronomie-kenniscentrum\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"is de maan een planeet","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-moon-with-Vespera-Pro-scaled-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-moon-with-Vespera-Pro-scaled-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-moon-with-Vespera-Pro-scaled-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-moon-with-Vespera-Pro-scaled-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-moon-with-Vespera-Pro-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.telescoop.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-moon-with-Vespera-Pro-scaled-1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14408"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89953,"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14408\/revisions\/89953"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.telescoop.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}