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A Martian Sunset

A Martian Sunset

Credit & copyright: Credit: IMP Team, JPL, NASA

You've had a hard day rolling past Martian rocks , so now just relax your APXS and enjoy the Martian sunset. The above pictures taken by Mars Pathfinder highlight how clouds vary during the end of a Martian day. The atmosphere on Mars is much thinner than on Earth and dominated by carbon dioxide rather than nitrogen . Clouds on Mars can be water or carbon dioxide based, depending on conditions , whereas Earth's clouds are all water based. At night the temperature at Sagan Memorial Station will dip from about -15 degrees Celsius (+4 Fahrenheit) to -77 degrees Celsius (-107 Fahrenheit). Temperatures only this cold won't bother Sojourner .

View the original NASA APOD

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