NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured breathtaking images of iridescent clouds on Mars, also known as “noctilucent” or twilight clouds. These delicate red-and-green-tinted clouds drift through the Martian sky in striking patterns similar to Earth’s clouds. The images were taken by one of two cameras onboard Curiosity and feature carbon dioxide ice clouds forming at altitudes above 37 miles (60 kilometers) above the surface.
Scientists have long studied these clouds, which are made up of dry ice, to better understand their impact on Mars’ climate. The discovery is significant, as it marks the fourth Mars year that Curiosity has witnessed the occurrence of these clouds. Typically appearing during early fall in the southern hemisphere, the clouds were first spotted by NASA’s Pathfinder mission in 1997.
The formation of these clouds remains a puzzle for scientists. While carbon dioxide condenses into ice at cooler temperatures, the exact mechanism behind their formation is not fully understood. The Perseverance rover has not detected any twilight clouds since landing in Jezero Crater, while Curiosity first observed them in 2019.
Researchers hope that studying these clouds will provide insights into Martian climate patterns and the planet’s atmosphere. With this new discovery, NASA continues to expand our understanding of Mars’ diverse cloud formations, shedding light on the Red Planet’s fascinating weather phenomena.
Source: https://www.space.com/the-universe/mars/iridescent-clouds-on-mars-captured-in-martian-twilight-in-stunning-nasa-rover-images-video