NASA 4K video shows mind-blowing surface of Mars
Stunning footage from NASA has been captured from the surface of Mars providing some of the best vision of the Red Planet.
Incredible images captured from the surface of Mars have been remastered in stunning 4K by genius space fans.
Images snapped by NASA rovers on the Red Planet were tuned up by tech buffs and posted online as a 10-minute video “journey” across Mars.
Uploaded by UK YouTube channel ElderFox Documentaries, the clip has racked up more than two millions views since it was uploaded on July 17.
RELATED: New evidence near planet is ‘not dead’
RELATED: Probe set for Mars after historic launch
The unnamed team behind the channel used publicly available images to cut together close to 20 mosaics, including what they claim is the “largest ever put together” of the Martian surface.
“The images in this video are all real. They were captured by Nasa’s Mars rovers directly from the surface of the planet,” the video’s narrator says.
“This is the first time Martian footage has been rendered in stunning 4K resolution.”
All of the images were captured by the three NASA Mars rovers: Spirit, Curiosity and Opportunity.
RELATED: ‘Campfires’ in closest photo of sun
Of those interplanetary machines, only one – Curiosity – still trundles the Martian surface today.
Each rover has a treasure trove of images that are freely available on NASA’s website. It’s these images that ElderFox used for their video.
The team stitched together thousands of images to create panoramas that, when panned across, create the feeling of a live video feed.
The video’s narrator calls it “the most lifelike experience of being on Mars”.
RELATED: ‘Crippling force’ bursts NASA rocket
One snap of an area know as Glen Torridon is made up of more than 1000 images take by Curiosity between November 24 and December 1, 2019.
ElderFox claim it is the largest mosaic of the Martian surface ever created. It contains 1.8 billion pixels.
Although the cameras on each rover were top-of-the-range at launch, there is no live footage from Mars.
The narrator explains in the video that this is due to the sluggish rate at which the rovers send data back to Earth.
“Curiosity can only send data directly back to Earth at 32 kilobits per second,” he says.
“Instead, when the rover can connect to the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, we get more favourable speeds of 2 Megabytes per second.”
The narrator adds: “However, this link is only available for about eight minutes each Sol, or Martian day.
“Sending HD video at these speeds would take a long time. As nothing really moves on Mars, it makes more sense to take and send back images.”
Spirit (2004-2010), Opportunity (2004-2019) and Curiosity (2012-today) were launched by NASA to search for past or present signs of alien life.
The rovers have found evidence of water at the Martian surface and that ancient Mars had the right chemistry to support living microbes.
The hunt for the existence of life on the planet still continues today.
This article was originally published on The Sun and has been reproduced with permission
Countdown to Aussie space dream begins
The countdown has begun for an Aussie company’s dream to lift-off into space and begin competing with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Aussies stunned by ‘fireball’ meteor
Residents in a major state have been treated to a dazzling astronomical event as a blazing meteor lit up the skies, even taking astronomers by surprise.
Mysterious green flash lights up sky
Aussies have been left stunned after an “out of this world” sight lit up the sky early on Mother’s Day.