New York

The dazzling green auroras are illuminating Earth's planetary neighbour Mars as well. According to the data collected by a NASA spacecraft, the invisible "global auroras" have been covering Mars frequently in the recent past.

Advertisment

This is linked to a stage called solar maximum, the peak in the sun's roughly 11-year solar cycle.

Mars and Auroras: What are they?

Mars is often bombarded with high energy radiation from the Sun. These rays from the Sun are in the form of solar energetic particles (SEPs). They penetrate the thin atmosphere of Mars and react with the molecules of hydrogen. As a result, the light, seen as Auroras is emitted. 

Advertisment

Also read | What's STEVE? After auroras, purple & green lights in skies dazzle earthlings

But notably, the auroras on Mars emit ultraviolet light instead of visible light. That is, unlike Earth, the auroras on Mars cannot be seen with the naked eye.

The Martian auroras are called the proton auroras.

Advertisment

How did NASA spot Auroras on Mars?

NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft has been orbiting the Red Planet since 2013.

It detected the first proton auroras on Mars in 2016. 

But most of the auroras observed by MAVEN have been localised to specific regions. But once in a blue Moon, these invisible light shows cover an entire hemisphere that is facing the sun. Under this phenomenon, researchers call it a global aurora.

"Mars is experiencing its greatest level of auroral activity in the past 10 years," Nick Schneider, a planetary scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder and lead scientist of MAVEN's Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph instrument group, told Spaceweather.com.

Also watch | This study suggests ancient Mars was also hit by climate change

×

"In February alone, there were three episodes of global auroras — an 'aurora hat trick' we have never seen before."

The global aurora events can last several days; the triple February auroras occurred on Feb. 3-4, Feb. 7-10 and Feb. 15-16, Live Science reported. 

Mars is not the only planet other than Earth to have auroras. Other light shows have been spotted on Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus, according to Space.com. Scientists have also spotted aurora-like phenomena on the Sun for the first time.

(With inputs from agencies)