Mars’s oddest cloud may be even odder than we thought

ESA – Mars’s oddest cloud may be even odder than we thought Science & Exploration Mars’s oddest cloud may be even odder than we thought 07/10/2026 6 views 0 likes ESA / Science & Exploration / Space Science / Mars Express Scientists using the European Space Agency’s Mars Express , in combination with a state-of-the-art meteorological model of the Red Planet, have found that there may be some very exotic physics behind Mars’s most curious cloud. Elongated cloud on Mars – annotated Every spring and summer in Mars’s southern hemisphere, during the martian dusty season, we see a spectacular cloud emerge: the Arsia Mons Elongated Cloud (AMEC), the most visually striking cloud on the Red Planet. This white wisp of water ice emerges downwind of the 20-km-tall Arsia Mons volcano. It forms, grows, and fades on a daily basis, stretching out for up to 1800 km – nearly twice the length of the UK – before quickly evaporating. This cycle repeats every morning for several months . Mars Express f…