Essential Insights
What is it: Arcia Mon, a volcano with clouds weaving through the Martian atmosphere.
Where is it: Approximately 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) from Earth.
When shared: June 6, 2025
What could be more captivating than the view of Mars clouds? Witnessing a volcano emerging from beneath them! This breathtaking panorama showcases Arcia Mon, an ancient Martian volcano, breaking through the clouds of the red planet. The image was taken by NASA’s Mars Odyssey Orbiter just before the first light touched the planet on May 2nd.
Mars Odyssey Mission was launched in 2001 to map Mars’s chemical elements and minerals. Although it completed its primary mission in 2004, it continues to chart the surface rocks, study clouds and fog, and has been monitoring seasonal changes ever since.
In 2023, the Odyssey began capturing high-altitude images of the Martian horizon, referred to as “hands and feet,” as depicted here. The orbiter’s cameras are specifically designed to study the surface of Mars, making it challenging to capture images of planetary clouds.
To achieve this, the Odyssey rotates 90 degrees in its orbit, enabling the camera to capture layers of clouds, revealing dust and water ice within. Scientists analyze Mars’s atmosphere, understanding seasonal variations that indicate how it evolves. This insight is crucial for forecasting strong winds and sandstorms, which is essential for planning future mission landings.
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The latest panoramic photo presents Mars’s atmosphere as a greenish haze, with Arcia Mons, one of the planet’s largest volcanoes, towering above. It appears as a dark silhouette breaking through the morning clouds, marking the first time this volcano has been captured against the Martian horizon. Although Arcia Mons is not the tallest volcano (that title belongs to Olympus Mons), it stands at 12 miles (20 km) high, more than double the height of Earth’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest.
(Image credit: NASA/JPL-CALTECH/ASU)
Arcia Mons is classified as a shield volcano, named for its resemblance to the structure found in the Tharsis Montes volcanic region of Mars. This region is often cloaked in clouds of water ice, with Arcia Mons being the most cloud-laden of the trio, particularly during early morning hours. In contrast, carbon dioxide clouds are more prevalent on Mars.
The dense layer of morning clouds is especially pronounced when Mars is at its farthest point from the sun, known as the Aphelion. During this phase, equatorial clouds are referred to as the Aphelion Cloud Belt. These early morning clouds can be seen swirling around Arcia Mons in the image.
A new panorama representing the fourth “limb” observation was captured by the Mars Odyssey’s Thermal Radiation Imaging System (Themis) camera, which is 24 years old. Themis takes images across both visible and infrared spectrums, aiding scientists in mapping underground areas that may contain water ice. Identifying these regions is vital for selecting the landing site for future astronauts on Mars.
Explore the stunning space imagery with this week’s archives of space photos.
Source: www.livescience.com