Artist’s illustration of MAVEN’s Imaging UltraViolet Spectrograph instrument observing the “Christmas Lights Aurora" on Mars. MAVEN's observations show that auroras on Mars are similar to those on Earth but have a different origin. Credit: University of Colorado View full size image Earth doesn't have a monopoly on celestial light shows in the night sky. Mars has them, too. NASA's MAVEN spacecraft (short for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) spotted ultraviolet "Christmas light" auroras dancing in the Red Planet's atmosphere for five days leading up to Dec. 25, 2014. "What's especially surprising about the aurora we saw is how deep in the atmosphere it...
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