The Curiosity rover caught our first clear view of sunlight on Mars

NASA’s Perseverance rover may have been on Mars since 2021, collecting rock samples and finding hints of water, but that doesn’t mean its predecessor has retired from exploration. In fact, the Curiosity rover had scanned Martian clouds at dusk to continue its survey of bright clouds the previous night. And on February 2, Curiosity Capture rare sights on camera, making it the first time we’ve seen aurora rays (or “sunlights”) visible from the surface of Mars.

The clouds in the image above are taller than most Martian clouds, which are 37 miles above Earth’s surface and are made up of water ice. Since the cloud in the image above is a very cold place, NASA thinks it’s made of frozen carbon dioxide – or dry ice, as we call it – instead. Their agency says observing clouds on Mars can help scientists learn more about the planet’s weather, temperature and wind conditions.

For this particular survey, which started in January and will end in mid-March, Curiosity mostly uses the Mast Color Camera, or Mastcam. The equipment allows the rover to take pictures that show scientists how the cloud particles glow over time. To create the panorama you see above, NASA combined 28 images taken by Mastcam. However, in 2021, Curiosity relies mostly on a black and white navigation camera that gives us a detailed look at the structure of the cloud as it moves.

In addition to the first visible display of sunlight on Mars, the probe has also captured other interesting images of cloud formations since the current survey began. Figure 27 (below) shows a cloud of colorful feathers. Apparently, the color shifts caused by color play tell scientists how clouds evolve and how their particle sizes change throughout the structure.