March 28, 2024

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Views First Dazzling “Sun Rays” on Mars

These “sun rays,” likewise understood as crepuscular rays, from the Latin word for “golden,” are bright streaks that take place when incoming light is partially obstructed by a cloud or tall function on the horizon. Interest recorded the scene throughout the rovers most recent golden cloud study, which builds on its 2021 observations of noctilucent, or night-shining, clouds. While many Martian clouds hover no more than 37 miles (60 kilometers) above the ground and are composed of water ice, the clouds in the latest images appear to be at a greater elevation, where its particularly cold. Studying the colors in iridescent clouds tells researchers something about particle size within the clouds and how they grow over time.” Where we see iridescence, it suggests a clouds particle sizes are identical to their next-door neighbors in each part of the cloud,” said Mark Lemmon, a climatic researcher with the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

NASAs Curiosity Mars rover caught these “sun rays” shining through clouds at sundown on February 2, 2023, the 3,730 th Martian day, or sol, of the objective. It was the first time that sun rays, also referred to as crepuscular rays, have been viewed so clearly on Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
The veteran Martian rover caught a dazzling sunset at the start of a brand-new cloud-imaging project.
As the Sun descended over the horizon on February 2, rays of light illuminated a bank of clouds. These “sun rays,” likewise known as crepuscular rays, from the Latin word for “twilight,” are bright streaks that occur when inbound light is partially obstructed by a cloud or tall function on the horizon.
Interest recorded the scene during the rovers latest golden cloud survey, which develops on its 2021 observations of noctilucent, or night-shining, clouds. While the majority of Martian clouds hover no more than 37 miles (60 kilometers) above the ground and are composed of water ice, the clouds in the current images seem at a higher altitude, where its specifically cold. That recommends these clouds are made of co2 ice, or dry ice.

As in the world, clouds offer scientists with complex but essential info for understanding the weather. By looking at when and where clouds form, scientists can find out more about the Martian atmospheres composition and temperature levels, and the winds within it.
This feather-shaped rainbowlike cloud was recorded simply after sunset on January 27, 2023, the 3,724 th Martian day, or sol, of Curiositys objective. Studying the colors in iridescent clouds tells scientists something about particle size within the clouds and how they grow over time. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
The 2021 cloud survey consisted of more imaging by Curiositys black-and-white navigation video cameras, providing an in-depth take a look at a clouds structure as it moves. The recent survey, which started in January and will cover up in mid-March, relies more typically on the rovers color Mast Camera, or Mastcam, which helps researchers see how cloud particles grow over time.
In addition to the image of sun rays, Curiosity caught a set of colorful clouds shaped like a plume on January 27. When illuminated by sunshine, specific kinds of clouds can produce a rainbowlike display screen called iridescence.
” Where we see iridescence, it indicates a clouds particle sizes correspond their next-door neighbors in each part of the cloud,” said Mark Lemmon, a climatic researcher with the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado. “By taking a look at color transitions, were seeing particle size altering across the cloud. That informs us about the method the cloud is developing and how its particles are altering size in time.”
Curiosity caught both the sun rays and rainbowlike clouds as panoramas, each of which was stitched together from 28 images sent to Earth. The images have actually been processed to highlight the highlights.
More About the Mission
Curiosity was built by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, California. Interests Mastcam consists of two camera systems installed on the rovers mast, which enable for panoramic and stereoscopic imaging of the Martian surface area. The Mastcam system was designed to support the objectives scientific goals, including the search for proof of previous or present habitable environments on Mars, and the study of Martian geology and environment.