Skip Navigation
menu

Images

Mars Disappearing Solar Wind: MAVEN Visualizations

A zoomed in view of MAVEN’s orbit during a period of low solar wind.

December 11, 2023

A zoomed in view of MAVEN’s orbit during a period of low solar wind. View more MAVEN Visualizations.

Credits

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

ENLARGE

Related

The engineering model of the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) sensor that is part of the Langmuir Probe and Waves (LPW)/EUV experiment on MAVEN and will measure the solar EUV input to the atmosphere.
More
The engineering model of the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) sensor that is part of the Langmuir Probe and Waves (LPW)/EUV experiment on MAVEN and will measure the solar EUV input to the atmosphere.
MAVEN Extreme Ultraviolet Sensor
To receive the same amount of starlight as Mars receives from our Sun, a planet orbiting an M-type red dwarf would have to be positioned much closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. 
More
To receive the same amount of starlight as Mars receives from our Sun, a planet orbiting an M-type red dwarf would have to be positioned much closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun.
How Habitable Might an Exo-Mars Be?
Five decades of successful NASA missions to the Red Planet, 1965-2015.
More
50 Years of Mars Exploration
50 Years of Mars Exploration
This is an artist's conception of Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) Mars orbiter.
More
This is an artist's conception of Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) Mars orbiter.
Artist's Concept of MAVEN
NASA's MAVEN mission is observing the upper atmosphere of Mars to help understand climate change on the planet. MAVEN entered its science phase on Nov. 16, 2014.
More
NASA's MAVEN mission is observing the upper atmosphere of Mars to help understand climate change on the planet. MAVEN entered its science phase on Nov. 16, 2014.
MAVEN at the Limb of Mars, Artist's Concept
The Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) instrument is part of the Particles and Fields (P & F) Package and determines the impact of SEPs on the upper atmosphere.
More
The Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) instrument is part of the Particles and Fields (P & F) Package and determines the impact of SEPs on the upper atmosphere.
Solar Energetic Particle Instrument for MAVEN Spacecraft
This graphic depicts what Mars' atmosphere would have looked like to a viewer with ultraviolet-seeing eyes after a meteor shower on Oct. 19, 2014. It combines an image from the Imaging Ultraviolet ...
More
This graphic depicts what Mars' atmosphere would have looked like to a viewer with ultraviolet-seeing eyes after a meteor shower on Oct. 19, 2014. It combines an image from the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph on NASA's MAVEN spacecraft with an illustration of how the atmosphere lies over Mars.
Emission from Ionized Magnesium in Mars' Atmosphere After Comet Flyby
MAVEN's Imaging UltraViolet Spectrograph obtained images of rapid cloud formation on Mars on July 9-10, 2016.
More
MAVEN's Imaging UltraViolet Spectrograph obtained images of rapid cloud formation on Mars on July 9-10, 2016.
MAVEN Captures Rapid Cloud Formation
Energetic particles from a large solar storm in September 2017 were seen both in Mars orbit by NASA's MAVEN orbiter, and on the surface of Mars by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover.
More
Solar Storm's Radiation at Martian Orbit and Surface
Solar Storm's Radiation at Martian Orbit and Surface
Members of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) team celebrate at the Lockheed Martin operations center in Littleton, Colorado, Sunday night, after getting confirmation that the space...
More
This image shows about 20 people wearing black shirts and mic headset clapping to celebrate MAVEN's arrival at Mars.
Celebration: MAVEN Arrives at Mars
This is an image of the ultraviolet “nightglow” in the Martian atmosphere over the south pole. Green and white false colors represent the intensity of ultraviolet light, with white being the bright...
More
ultraviolet “nightglow” in the Martian atmosphere over the south pole
Ultraviolet ‘Nightglow' of Mars Atmosphere Over South Pole
JPL CubeSat clean room is doing big things for space explorations smallest inhabitants.
More
Crazy Engineering: CubeSats
Crazy Engineering: CubeSats
This animation shows a proton aurora at Mars. First, a solar wind proton approaches Mars at high speed and encounters a cloud of hydrogen surrounding the planet. 
More
Animation of Proton aurora at Mars
Animation of Proton Aurora at Mars
This artist concept depicts NASA’s Space Launch System, which will be the most powerful rocket ever built. It is designed to boost the agency’s Orion spacecraft on deep space missions, including to...
More
Space Launch System rocket clearing the clouds.
Space Launch System Rocket Clearing the Clouds
Following liftoff, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft separates from the Centaur upper stage.
More
MAVEN Separates from Centaur Upper Stage
MAVEN Separates from Centaur Upper Stage
These images from the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph on NASA's MAVEN orbiter show the appearance of a bright aurora on Mars during a solar storm in September 2017. The purple-white colors shows t...
More
Solar Storm Triggers Whole-Planet Aurora at Mars
Solar Storm Triggers Whole-Planet Aurora at Mars
Three views of an escaping atmosphere, obtained by MAVEN’s Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph.
More
Three views of an escaping atmosphere, obtained by MAVEN's Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph.
MAVEN Observing Water and Carbon Dioxide Breakdown
Artist's conception of the complex magnetic field environment at Mars. Yellow lines represent magnetic field lines from the Sun carried by the solar wind, blue lines represent Martian surface magne...
More
Artist's conception of magnetic field environment at Mars
Artist's Conception of the Magnetic Field Environment at Mars
At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft is encapsulated atop an Atlas V rocket.
More
At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft is encapsulated atop an Atlas V rocket.
MAVEN Encapsulated Atop Atlas V
At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V first stage is lifted for stacking at Launch Pad 41 in preparation for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution,...
More
At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V first stage is lifted for stacking at Launch Pad 41 in preparation for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, mission.
MAVEN's Atlas V Lifted to Launch Pad
This is an artist's conception of NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution MissioN (MAVEN) Mars orbiter.
More
This is an artist's conception of NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution MissioN (MAVEN) Mars orbiter.
Artist's Concept of MAVEN
MAVEN selfie composite, annotated
More
This is an annotated selfie of the MAVEN spacecraft.
MAVEN Selfie Composite, Annotated
NASA's MAVEN spacecraft obtained this ultraviolet image of hydrogen surrounding comet Siding Spring on Oct. 17, 2014, two days before the comet's closest approach to Mars.
More
NASA's MAVEN spacecraft obtained this ultraviolet image of hydrogen surrounding comet Siding Spring on Oct. 17, 2014, two days before the comet's closest approach to Mars.
MAVEN Ultraviolet Image of Comet Siding Spring's Hydrogen Coma
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft on a 1...
More
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft on a 10-month journey to the Red Planet. Liftoff was at 1:28 p.m. EST.
Liftoff of MAVEN
Download the PDF or PPT of the MAVEN Overview Presentation.
More
MAVEN Overview Presentation
Maven Overview Presentation

You Might Also Like

The agency is asking the NASA community to work together to develop a revised plan that leverages innovation and proven technology.
More
NASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs
NASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs
NASA has proven powered, controlled flight is possible on other worlds, just as the Wright brothers proved it was possible on Earth.
More
After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends
After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends
The agency established the board in May 2023 to evaluate the technical, cost, and schedule plans prior to confirmation of the mission’s design.
More
NASA Releases Independent Review's Mars Sample Return Report
NASA Releases Independent Review's Mars Sample Return Report
A pair of quakes in 2021 sent seismic waves deep into the Red Planet’s core, giving scientists the best data yet on its size and composition.
More
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
Ten sample tubes, capturing an amazing variety of Martian geology, have been deposited on Mars’ surface so they could be studied on Earth in the future.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
Filled with rock, the sample tube will be one of 10 forming a depot of tubes that could be considered for a journey to Earth by the Mars Sample Return campaign.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface