BEIJING, Aug 22 — Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have published a colour map of Mars, the most accurate ever unveiled to date. The map is based on images taken during a recent Martian space mission.

This map was created as a result of the findings of the Tianwen-1 mission, named after a Mars probe launched in 2020 by the Chinese National Space Administration. The map was produced from thousands of high-precision images taken both above and below the surface of the “red planet.” With a resolution of around 76 metres per pixel, it surpasses all previous maps of its kind in terms of detail, and will serve as a new reference for future exploration of Mars and related research.

The images used in putting together the map provide valuable information on the topography and geological structure of the Martian surface. Once the poorest-quality images had been eliminated, some 10,572 good-quality images were selected, covering the entire Martian surface, with resolutions ranging from 57 to 120 metres per pixel, averaging 76 m/pixel. After ensuring colour uniformity, the images were assembled into a visual cartographic representation in Robinson projection (showing everything at once). Finally, a filter was applied to refine the result.

This initiative was the subject of an article published in Science Bulletin. The map is far more detailed than anything that has been done in the field before, including Nasa’s Mars Viking Colourised Global Mosaic and its average resolution of 925 metres per pixel.

Earlier this year, the Chinese Academy of Sciences generated headlines by publishing an exceptional geological atlas of the Moon, at a scale of 1:2.5 million. This major first provides invaluable mapping data for future lunar research and exploration. To achieve their goal, the researchers compiled all the data from China’s Chang’e lunar exploration programme and from various foreign missions. All the information contained in this atlas will be particularly useful for the creation of a future research station on the Moon. The atlas will also enable astronauts to better prepare themselves and their equipment for the terrain they will be exploring. — ETX Studio