Finding flowing water on Mars was another sign a ''golden age'' of space exploration was under way, Otago Museum director Ian Griffin says.
Dr Griffin, an astronomer, is excited by Nasa's discovery, one some researchers say greatly increases the likelihood living bacteria could exist on Mars.
''It's a fantastic discovery. It's a very, very nice piece of science.''
Asked if this meant primitive life was likely to be found on Mars, given flowing water, albeit at low temperatures, Dr Griffin said: ''The conditions for life are right''.
''But were the conditions of life right for long enough?'' he questioned.
Dr Griffin said he would not be surprised to learn that fossil micro-organisms would eventually be found on Mars, although it was by no means certain living micro-organisms would be found there.
The existence of water indicated that some of the pre-conditions of life were present, but the question was how long such conditions had been present, either allowing primitive life to evolve or to remain alive.
Professor Steve Pointing, director of the Institute for Applied Ecology New Zealand, an institute of AUT University, Auckland, told the Science Media Centre that was the first proof moving ''liquids'' on Mars's surface were made of ''albeit extremely salty brines'', which were visible in warmer conditions during the Martian summer.
Prof Pointing added that extremely salty lakes present in many desert environments from California to Tibet supported ''simple microbial life'' that could tolerate high salt content.
''So this new study suggests this may be the sort of extant life we could expect on Mars.''
Dr Griffin has several reasons for being excited about the Nasa discovery, including that he has trained as a professional astronomer, and he previously headed the Office of Public Outreach and was director of Nasa Origins Education Forum Space Telescope Science Institute, in Baltimore, Maryland (2001-04), where he was involved with the Hubble Space Telescope.
Dr Griffin said the Nasa findings, based on careful and lengthy observations from a Mars satellite, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, were fine, high-quality science.
The findings highlighted the key role played by perchlorates - a form of salt which effectively acted as a kind of anti-freeze - allowing water to flow, despite low temperatures on Mars.
