One of NASA's spacecrafts captured an image of the iconic Star Trek Starfleet symbol on the surface of Mars.
The picture was taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), a spacecraft designed for exploration of Mars from orbit and which is fitted with several cameras and radars.
- Eerie image from Mars after successful NASA landing
- NASA spacecraft InSight Lander has touched down on Mars
- NASA's 'robot geologist' InSight set to land on Mars next week
Uploaded to NASA's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) Twitter account, the image is accompanied by the caption: "Enterprising viewers will make the discovery that these features look conspicuously like a famous logo".
It was taken on June 12 near Mars' Hellas Planitia.
"These curious chevron shapes in southeast Hellas Planitia are the result of a complex story of dunes, lava, and wind," HiRISE's Ross Beyer wrote.
The shape was created when the crescent-shaped dune was surrounded by lava before solidifying.
"The lava solidified, but these dunes still stuck up like islands. However, they were still just dunes, and the wind continued to blow. Eventually, the sand piles that were the dunes migrated away, leaving these “footprints” in the lava plain," Beyer said.
Star Trek actor William Shatner has even commented on the discovery.
"Hey @starwars! Will you hurry up your Rebel Scum? We beat you!"
The MRO has been in Mars' orbit since 2006.
Newshub.
