The Phoenix lander's 2008 Mars observations of droplets on its legs and evidence of atmospheric exchange with liquid water: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Phoenix landing2.jpg|thumb|Artist's impression of the Phoenix Lander settling down on Mars.<br><br>Its measurements of isotope ratios of carbon and oxygen gave evidence for liquid water on the surface now or in the recent geological past.<ref name=phoenixisotope>[http://uanews.org/story/phoenix-mars-lander-finds-surprises-about-planet%E2%80%99s-watery-past Phoenix Mars Lander Finds Surprises About Planet’s Watery Past] University of Arizona news, By Daniel Stolte, University Communications, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory | September 9, 2010</ref>.<br><br>Its observations of possible droplets on its legs suggested new ways that water could be stable temporarily on Mars.<ref name=phoenix_droplets_2009>[https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16620-first-liquid-water-may-have-been-spotted-on-mars.html?full=true#.VRReJ_msV8E First liquid water may have been spotted on Mars], New Scientist, February 2009 by David Shiga</ref> These observations lead many scientists to reassess the present habitability of Mars]]
The [[Phoenix (spacecraft) | Phoenix lander]] spacecraft landed in what is thought to be an ancient ocean bed near the north pole of [[Mars]]. It is the first, and so far the only spacecraft to land successfully in the Martian polar regions. The [[Mars Polar Lander]] was the only other attempt but it crashed. Until 2008, most scientists thought that there was no possibility of liquid water on Mars for any length of time in the current conditions there. However,
==Droplets on its landing legs==
in 2008 through to 2009, droplets were observed on the landing legs of Phoenix.
[[File:Mars-water-droplets-phoenix-2008-bg.gif|Mars-water-droplets-phoenix-2008-bg]]
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