Giant ‘serpent’ dust devil on Mars

Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Dust devils have been seen and photographed many times on Mars, including by the rovers. The newest dramatic image, recently taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, has to be one of the very best yet. The towering dust plume is estimated to be about 800 metres (2,625 feet) tall(!), and casts a long dark shadow. A long tail also curves out from the main plume itself, gently shaped by a westerly breeze.