Check out this stunning image of moving dunes on Mars in 3D

Nili Patera, an ancient volcano

NASA recently shared a picture of dunes in the Nili Patera region of Mars in 3D, captured by the powerful High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on the agency's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).

Nili Patera, an ancient volcano, hosts a remarkable field of barchan-like dunes that have an elongated crescent form. They are formed by the continuous action of the wind, blowing in the same direction, giving this particular shape.

HiRISE 3D: Dunes in Nili PateraNow, who doesn't like an image of dunes in 3D? Pay attention to the sand "thread" on the right side of the image. Interesting how that might have formed!https://t.co/VE65NHGniCNASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona#Mars pic.twitter.com/mgMc03jOZh

— HiRISE: Beautiful Mars (NASA) (@HiRISE) May 25, 2022

HiRISE, one of six instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, keeps an eye on this area every couple of months to see changes over seasonal and annual time scales. The camera operates in visible wavelengths, the same as human eyes, but with a telescopic lens that produces images at never-before-seen resolutions.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been studying the Red Planet's atmosphere and terrain since 2006, has provided a wealth of data regarding the processes on the Martian surface. The agency recently announced the mission's extension, during which it will study the evolution of Mars' surface, ices, active geology, and atmosphere and climate.