Is it Christmastime on Mars?

A European satellite has spotted a rather festive scene on the surface of the red planet. In the southern polar region of Mars, there is a unique geological formation that looks like a haloed angel with a heart beside it. And to make it even more festive, the shapes appear in red.

The technology responsible for spotting this scene at such an opportune time of the year is the European Space Agency’s Mars Express orbiter. The images were captured with the Mars Express’ High Resolution Stereo Camera.

This occurrence is even more unique because the area where it appears is usually covered by a sheet of ice a mile thick, obscuring much of the landscape and its unique features. We’ve been given this glimpse because it is currently summer in the southern polar region of Mars and so the ice has temporarily melted.  

Even Mars is wishing us a happy holiday season this year!