NASA Spots 'Star Trek' Image on Mars Surface

What came first: Mars or "Star Trek?"

A NASA orbiter captured an image of Mars that shows a formation embedded into the red planet's surface. That formation, as it turns out, looks very similar to the "Star Trek" symbol.

CNN reported the image on the surface of Mars was formed when a volcanic eruption sent lava around a grouping of sand dunes in the area. The dunes stood among the lava field like islands, and when they were eventually blown away by the wind, their footprint remained.

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which launched in 2005, arrived in the red planet's orbit the following year. It has been snapping photos, monitoring Mars' weather conditions, and doing other analyses ever since.

NASA is also studying climate change on Mars, which they say is exiting its most recent ice age.

• Snowstorms on Mars Don't Stick, So No Winter Olympics There
• Mars Rover Spotted Sitting in Silence