"Martian Butterfly": Astronomers Unveil Mystery Of Unique Crater On Mars

Not an insect nor any strange fossil, the image shared by the European Space Agency (ESA) is basically a unique crater on Mars, referred to as the "butterfly crater" due to its striking resemblance to a butterfly's wings.

The stunning image captured by the Mars Express orbiter, which has been exploring Martian landscapes since it was launched in 2003, shows the unusual formation located in the Idaeus Fossae region, within the planet's northern lowlands.

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The crater was formed when a space rock collided with its red-brown surface, causing "two distinct lobes of material to be flung outwards to the crater's north and south, creating two outstretched 'wings' of raised ground."

"We know that the space rock that sculpted this martian butterfly came in at a low, shallow angle, resulting in the interesting and atypical shapes seen here: the butterfly's ‘body' – the main crater itself – is unusually oval in shape, and the wings are irregular," ESA wrote in a blog.

Our #MarsExpress spots a strange shape on Mars, formed as a space rock collided with the planet's dusty surface.

It's known as a 'butterfly crater' but we see a walnut, an insect, the Eye of Sauron, or perhaps a moth... what do you think?

More info and images 👉… pic.twitter.com/pMJwzP9nrw

— ESA Science (@esascience) December 3, 2025

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The crater measures approximately 20 kilometres from east to west and 15 kilometres from north to south. The so-called wings of this crater are rather undefined and irregular, but can be seen extending to the lower left and upper right.

The butterfly crater provides insights into the geological history of the Red Planet and also the processes that have shaped the planet's surface. The presence of fluidised material, possibly mixed with water or ice, suggests that Mars may have experienced volcanic activity in the past.