Mars' Winter Wonderland: NASA and ESA share stunning images of snow on the Red Planet

The hills in Mars' Australe Scopuli region, near the south pole, are coated with carbon dioxide ice, while the darker patches represent layers of dust. (Image: ESA)

This Christmas, while many were hoping for snow, Mars offers its own version of a winter wonderland. Though not quite like Earth’s snow, the Martian landscape, captured in stunning detail, showcases a unique form of ice and dust. Taken by NASA and the European Space Agency, these images unveil the icy wonders of the Red Planet’s south pole.

Martian "Snow": A Layer of Carbon Dioxide Ice
Captured by the European Space Agency’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, these images reveal what appears to be snow. However, the icy surface is not made of water but carbon dioxide ice, which covers Mars' south pole year-round. At a thickness of about 26 feet (8 meters), it gives the region its frosty appearance.

ESA's Mars Express orbiter captured these swirls of carbon dioxide ice on Mars' south pole in June 2022. (Image: ESA/NASA)

Dust and Gas: Mars' Winter Process
Unlike Earth, where snowflakes blanket the ground, Mars' ice is periodically covered by dust. The seasonal process causes dust layers to settle on the surface. As the carbon dioxide ice sublimates in the summer, pockets of gas build up under the ice. These eruptions send the dust swirling across the landscape, creating the snow-like patterns visible in the images.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured these Martian dunes in the planet's northern hemisphere using its HiRISE camera on September 8, 2022. (Image: NASA/ESA)

Though these images were captured near the Martian summer solstice, the south pole remains perpetually cold, with temperatures dropping to -193°F (-125°C). The dynamic scene of dust and gas eruptions contrasts sharply with the serene beauty of a typical winter landscape on Earth.