Dust devils form as parts of Mars warm in the Sun, causing the air just above the surface to swirl upwards and carry dust with it as it goes. Mars’s dust devils are similar to those we see in dry, dusty landscapes on Earth, but far larger; they tower up to eight kilometres high, rove about for kilometres at a time, and reach top speeds of 45 metres per second. They play a key role in moving dust across the planet.

Mars Express is uniquely equipped to spot these mini whirlwinds. To form a single image using its High Resolution Stereo Camera – the instrument responsible for these new snapshots – the spacecraft combines sequential views from up to nine separate camera channels (which look at Mars in a different colour, from a different direction, or a mix of the two). If nothing changes on the martian surface while these are being taken, the multiple perspectives align – but if something is moving about, it stands out clearly from its surroundings (read more on this process).

In this new set of images, Mars Express captures not one but dozens of active dust devils. Click on the image below to see more than 30 circled, each visible as a small yellow dot with a pinkish trailing ‘shadow’.