Wild Winds of Mars | Space Wallpaper

By Space.com Staff
published

Wild Winds of Mars
Erosion across Mars' face due to blowing winds has created many interesting features on the Red Planet. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona)

Across the surface of Mars ferocious winds constantly work at shaping and reshaping the sand-covered landscape. These gales hew "yardangs" out of the terrain of the Red Planet, leaving a layer of powdery sand in the passages between the features. Due to the thin atmosphere, the ridges and dunes created by these winds cast stark shadows. [See more images of Mars.]

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Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.