NASA’s Curiosity rover reveals a spectacular new view of Mars with a mystery on the horizon
NASA's Curiosity rover has captured high-resolution images of wind-sculpted cliffs known as yardangs on Mars. These formations, located on Mount Sharp, offer scientists a chance to study sedimentary layers that reveal the planet's ancient history of water.
Why it matters
Analyzing Martian geological layers helps scientists reconstruct the environmental history of the planet and its potential for past habitability.
NASA's Curiosity rover has captured a spectacular new panorama of Mars, providing its clearest look yet at a series of mysterious cliffs shaped by wind. Scientists have been eager to examine these distant formations up close, and the latest images offer an exciting preview of what lies ahead. Taken at 8:30 a.m. local Mars time, the scene reveals striking blue tones across the foreground while morning sunlight illuminates rugged cliffs known as yardangs along the horizon.
Curiosity recorded the panorama using its Mastcam on August 11, during the mission's 4,982nd Martian day, or sol. Six separate photographs were transmitted to Earth and combined to create the sweeping view. Unlike most Mastcam photographs, the images were processed without white balancing, allowing the scene to retain the distinctive colors and lighting of the Martian morning.
Curiosity Approaches Mysterious Martian Cliffs
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