For the first time, water frost has been detected at the equator of Mars, an area previously thought incapable of sustaining frost.

This discovery is significant for understanding the distribution and exchange of water on Mars, which is crucial for future manned missions.

The frost was observed by two European Space Agency (ESA) spacecraft: the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), which has been orbiting Mars since 2016, and the Mars Express mission, in orbit since 2003.

The frost is located in the Tharsis region, Mars’ largest volcanic area, home to 12 large volcanoes, including Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in the solar system, Space.com has reported.

The discovery, termed “forbidden frost,” was made by Adomas Valantinas, a PhD student at the University of Bern, Switzerland.

Written by B.C. Begley