Map of shallow subsurface water distribution on Mars

On March 10 ESA has revealed the first results from ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter orbiting Mars since October 2016. Among the data there is the best map of shallow subsurface water distribution on Mars ever created. The map is made by orbiter's neutron detector FREND mapping the distribution of hydrogen in the uppermost metre of the planet’s surface. Hydrogen indicates the presence of water, being one of the constituents of the water molecule; it can also indicate water absorbed into the surface, or minerals that were formed in the presence of water.

• Blue areas - more water
• Orange areas - less water

Ice deposit in Korolev crater

Water ice deposit in Korolev crater at the northern polar plain on Mars. This recent image is taken by the European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Express orbiter. Korolev crater is 81 kilometers (51 miles) in diameter and naturally traps the cold air in it continuously replenishing the ice deposit with fresh layers of ice. The ice sheet is up to 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) thick and it is estimated the crater holds about 2200 cubic kilometers (530 cubic miles) of water ice.

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Elongated cloud on Mars at Arsia Mons

On September 13 European Space Agency’s (ESA) Mars Express orbiter spotted an elongated cloud on Mars near the Arsia Mons - a dormant shield volcano 12 miles high. The cloud stretches for about 930 miles (1500 kilometers) and hasn't dissolved for over a month. That's nothing extraordinary - similar clouds has been spotted on Mars in 2009, 2012 and 2015 at winter season. The giant Martian volcanoes, rising high into the atmosphere, are playing a role into creation of those kind of clouds.

Pressurised rover concept by ESA for Mars500

Picture of the Day 25/4/2018 - Pressurised rover concept by European Space Agency (ESA) for Mars500 study.