page_title: Beacon Valley
section_title: Astrobiological characteristics
hierarchical_section_title: Beacon Valley / Astrobiological characteristics
caption_attribution_description: English: Antarctic Expedition Prepared Researchers for Mars Project. Four of the expedition members scout out field sites in Antarctica's Beacon Valley, one of the most Mars-like places on Earth. From left: Aaron Zent, of NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.; Chris McKay, also of NASA Ames; Peter Smith, of the University of Arizona, Tucson; and Doug Ming, of NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston. Image credit: NASA
context_page_description: Beacon Valley is an ice-free valley between Pyramid Mountain and Beacon Heights, in Victoria Land. It was mapped by the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910–13, and named by the Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expedition after Beacon Heights.
context_section_description: The central region of Beacon valley is considered to be one of the best terrestrial analogues for the current conditions on Mars. There is snowdrift and limited melting around the edges and occasionally in the central region, but for the most part, moisture is only found as thin films of brine around permafrost structures. It has slightly alkaline salt rich soil.
caption: Researchers trek through Antarctica's Beacon Valley, one of the most Mars-like places on Earth. Image credit: NASA
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