The clearest image yet of Mars taken from the vicinity of Earth has been returned by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The 16km (10 mile)-resolution, true-colour image taken from a distance of 68 million km - the closest Mars has come to Earth since 1988 - shows white clouds and dust storm activity, especially near the northern polar cap. Due to the relative position of the Earth and Mars, which has a more elliptical orbit around the sun than the Earth, the planets come close to each other in periods called "oppositions". In 2003, Mars will be 56 million km from Earth, the closest since 1924. The next HST servicing mission by the Space Shuttle is scheduled for later this year.
Source: Flight International
