BeautifulMars Lands on the Isle of Man!
BeautifulMars Lands on the Isle of Man


We’ve teamed up with Culture Vannin to produce a website, Tumblr, and a dedicated Twitter feed, @HiRISEManx, in Manx (Gaelg), making these the first and only resources from an active NASA mission in this language.

Manx is a Celtic language spoken by a minority of people on the Isle of Man, which is located at the geographic center of the British Isles. HiRISE Manx will be an invaluable tool for revival efforts of the language, and demonstrate how capable it is of describing the surface of another planet. The new site offers HiFlyers in the A4 format for downloading and printing that can be useful in a classroom setting or just to put on a wall.

Adrian Cain Adrian Cain, Manx Language Development Officer for Culture Vannin says: “It has been a delight working on this project which helps to promote the idea that Mars belongs to everyone. The images are quite remarkable and it’s a privilege that Manx accompanies them.

“It’s hoped that people will be both amazed by the images and surprised that Manx can be used in this innovative, modern and exciting manner.”

We also want to extend our thanks to Chris Sheard for his help and participation.


The purpose of the BeautifulMars Project is to reach those people, especially children, who want to know about Mars but don’t have strong skills in English. Our Project also serves as an excellent tool for language promotion and preservation. Since we call HiRISE “the people’s camera,” our project is a perfect way to bring planetary science to people all over the world in their own language. More importantly, we always seek to improve on what we have, so if you see something that can be worded better, let us know! Communicating with people is what the Project is all about.

If you’re interested in volunteering for HiRISE Manx, please contact The BeautifulMars Project.



About HiRISE
The HiRISE camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is the most powerful one of its kind ever sent to another planet. Its high resolution allows us to see Mars like never before, and helps other missions choose a safe spot to land for future exploration.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. and is operated by the University of Arizona.