Our red planetary neighbor is getting festive for the holidays! Mars has a feature known as the Korolev crater and it’s currently covered in ice.

Images of the wintry sight were snapped by the Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC). The photo is comprised of five different strips that were compiled from different orbits.
The Mars Express mission launched in 2003 with the spacecraft’s orbit insertion taking place six months later on December 25, 2003. This Christmas marks the 15-year anniversary of the event so, these images are a special gift to researchers.

The crater is located near the northern polar cap. The ice stays frozen thanks to cold air hovering over the sheet like a shield, stopping the ice from heating up and disappearing. This region has been of interest to researcher for some time- they’re looking for signs of life.
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