Recently, in the upper layers of the Martian atmosphere, atomic oxygen atoms have been found. With this discovery, scientists will be able to understand the atmosphere around the red planet better.

An instrument on board of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) made this discovery. The SOFIA is a Boeing 747 jet that is modified to carry a telescope 100 inches in diameter.

We haven’t been able to detect these atoms before because researchers weren’t able to measure the wavelengths connected with them. But, when the atoms were discovered recently, the SOFIA was able to fly over the moisture in Earth’s atmosphere (which blocks the infrared wavelength detection). This was what made researchers able to see these wavelengths.

The result of the discovery was that scientists found half of the amount of atomic oxygen that they expected. This was most likely due to variations in the atmosphere. The SOFIA will continue to gather information to study more about our neighboring planet.