Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2026 March 3
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                     Flying over the North Pole of Mars
   Video Credit: [2]ESA, [3]Mars Express, [4]VMC; Processing & [5]License:
                             [6]Simeon Schmauß

   Explanation: If you could fly over the North Pole of [7]Mars, what
   would you see?  Images from ESA’s Mars Express mission in 2019 were
   compiled into the [8]featured video which shows just such a trip. First
   you see below you a landscape [9]tinted orange by rusted iron in the
   fine soil, with some land appearing darker due to exposed rock. Soon
   the [10]northern polar cap comes into view, mostly white because of its
   reflective frozen water. Surrounding the [11]polar cap is the [12]North
   Polar Basin, a layered depression covered with [13]dust and [14]sand.
   The frames in the [15]featured video were captured during northern
   Martian Spring when the [16]carbon-dioxide ice is evaporating, leaving
   the underlying [17]water-ice in the cap. [18]Mars Express continues to
   study the Martian surface and [19]look for clues about the Red Planet's
   [20]ancient climate and [21]potential for life.

                        Tomorrow's picture: Space Eye
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    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [37]Specific rights apply.
            [38]NASA Web Privacy, [39]Accessibility, [40]Notices;
                A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC,
                         [44]NASA Science Activation
                           & [45]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://www.esa.int/
   3. https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Mars_Express
   4. https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/About_the_Visual_Monitoring_Camera_VMC
   5. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en
   6. https://www.flickr.com/photos/semeion/
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/mars/
   8. https://www.flickr.com/photos/semeion/55027596194/
   9. https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-why-is-mars-red
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250706.html
  11. https://science.nasa.gov/resource/northern-ice-cap-of-mars/
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Polar_Basin_(Mars)
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_regolith
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160720.html
  15. https://www.flickr.com/photos/semeion/55027596194/
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_ice
  17. https://marsed.asu.edu/mep/ice
  18. https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Mars_Express_overview
  19. https://www.reddit.com/r/dogswithjobs/comments/pxicvq/hunter_the_search_dog_cant_stop_himself_from/#lightbox
  20. https://www.colorado.edu/today/2025/04/21/did-it-rain-or-snow-ancient-mars-new-study-suggests-it-did
  21. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/search-for-life/the-hunt-for-life-on-mars-and-elsewhere-in-the-solar-system/
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260302.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260303
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260304.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  45. http://www.mtu.edu/