NASA's Curiosity rover has captured stunning images of colorful clouds in the Martian sky. These noctilucent clouds, composed of frozen carbon dioxide, appear as vibrant hues due to the scattering of sunlight by the setting Sun.
New images captured by NASA 's Curiosity rover reveal a captivating spectacle: colorful clouds dancing across the Martian sky. These images, taken by the rover's Mastcam, which NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory affectionately refers to as Curiosity's eyes, were captured on January 17th over a period of 16 minutes. The clouds, known as noctilucent or twilight clouds, are composed of frozen carbon dioxide, scientifically termed dry ice.
Their ethereal beauty arises from the scattering of sunlight by the setting Sun, imbuing them with a range of captivating colors. This phenomenon has earned them the endearing nickname 'mother-of-pearl' clouds.While Mars' atmosphere consists primarily of 95% carbon dioxide, these unique clouds exist at a high enough altitude and low enough temperature to contain frozen carbon dioxide. Most clouds on Mars are formed from water ice. The clouds observed by Curiosity hover at an impressive altitude of 37 to 50 miles above the planet's surface. Other images showcase these clouds as white plumes gracefully descending through the atmosphere before evaporating approximately 31 miles above Mars.These twilight clouds have been primarily sighted in certain areas of Mars' southern hemisphere. NASA's Perseverance Rover, which landed on Mars' northern hemisphere in 2021, has yet to encounter these celestial formations. However, Curiosity has witnessed them in the southern hemisphere across four distinct Martian years. Mark Lemmon, an atmospheric scientist at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado, believes that specific regions on the planet are more conducive to the formation of these clouds. He speculates that gravity waves, which cool a planet's atmosphere, could play a crucial role. 'Carbon dioxide was not expected to be condensing into ice here, so something is cooling it to the point that it could happen,' Lemmon stated in NASA's news release. 'But Martian gravity waves are not fully understood and we're not entirely sure what is causing twilight clouds to form in one place but not another.' Though researchers are still unraveling the mysteries behind the formation of these clouds, they have gained a remarkable ability to predict their appearance. Lemmon, a lead researcher on a 2024 paper detailing Curiosity's first two years of cloud observations, noted that the phenomenon has become so predictable that scientists can plan their observations in advance.Beyond capturing these breathtaking clouds, Curiosity has been diligently exploring various Martian locales. In recent weeks, the rover investigated a channel called Gediz Vallis, providing valuable insights into the planet's ancient water systems. It also ventured to an impact crater nicknamed 'Rustic Canyon,' capturing stunning images and analyzing the surrounding rocks. The 67-foot wide crater, likely millions of years old based on the erosion patterns, offers a glimpse into Mars' tumultuous past. The rover's journey continues, with its next destination featuring formations known as 'boxwork,' intricate fractures in the planet's surface carved by ancient groundwater. These boxwork patterns, resembling giant spiderwebs when viewed from space, provide further clues about the planet's geological history
MARS CURIOSITY ROVER CLOUDS NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS NASA SPACE EXPLORATION ATMOSPHERE CARBON DIOXIDE
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