NASA has managed to capture a stunning image of an avalanche on Mars.

The extremely rare sight was caught on camera by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

3 A huge dust cloud from the avalanche can be seen here Credit: Cover Images

The image shows a plume of red dust creating a giant red cloud on the planet's surface.

Experts think this was probably caused by a huge ice block falling from Mar's North Pole.

This ice is said to have dislodged and fallen 1,640-foot down a cliff face.

The event actually happened back in May but has only just been made public by engineers at the University of Arizona who worked on the orbiter.

3 The avalanche can be seen more clearly here Credit: Cover Images

Experts think increased sunlight on Mars had caused one of its glaciers to melt.

Candy Hansen, from the University of Arizona, said: "Every spring the sun shines on the side of the stack of layers at the North Pole of Mars known as the north polar layered deposits.

"The warmth destabilises the ice and blocks break loose. When they reach the bottom of the more than 500 meter tall cliff face.

"The layers beneath are different colors and textures depending on the amount of dust mixed with ice."

3 This illustration shows what the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter looks like Credit: Cover Images

A similar avalanche has been captured on Mars before but it was caused by a meteorite and not just warm weather.

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has instruments that conduct daily weather reports as well as analysing minerals and looking for water.

It was first launched in 2005 and its previous missions have shown that water once flowed on the surface of Mars.

Mars facts Here's what you need to know about the red planet... Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun

It is named after the Roman god of war

The landmass of Mars is very similar to Earth but due to the difference in gravity you could jump three times higher there than you can here

Mars is mountainous and hosts the tallest mountain known in the Solar System called Olympus Mons, which is three times higher than Everest

Mars is considered to be the second most habitable planet after Earth

It takes the planet 687 Earth days to orbit the Sun

So far, there has been 39 missions to Mars but only 16 of these have been successful

TOP STORIES IN SCIENCE Video STARSHIP BLOOPER SpaceX EXPLODES Starship rocket tank on purpose during dramatic test MELTDOWN Global sea levels to jump by 2.5 METRES due to melting Antarctic ice PLAN-IT Jupiter is so bright you can see it from the UK with the naked eye TONIGHT WATCH THIS SPACE How to watch the International Space Station TONIGHT EYES TO THE SKIES Which planets can you see from Earth with the naked eye? LIKE MAGIC Mystery over 'fairy circles' in African desert solved using Alan Turing theory

In other space news, Nasa and the ESA are teaming up to try and stop killer asteroid crashing into Earth.

Elon Musk’s ‘rogue’ Starlink satellites nearly crashed into a European probe.

And, here's all of the stargazing events you shouldn't miss this month – including a chance to spot Neptune.

What do you make of this Mars avalanche? Let us know in the comments!

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk