A recent panorama captured by NASA’s Perseverance rover on Mars shows what a blue sky would look like on the Red Planet, giving scientists new insights into the planet’s atmosphere.
The image, created from 96 images taken at a location dubbed “Falbreen”, reveals a clear blue sky with a white patch indicating where the rover has drilled its 43rd hole since landing. The enhanced mosaic shows what a relatively dust-free sky would look like on Mars, highlighting the differences in terrain and sky.
The reddish tint of the Martian sky is due to iron in the dust, but by enhancing the color contrast, scientists can see more details about the surrounding terrain. According to Jim Bell, principal investigator at Arizona State University, the clear view of the surrounding terrain is a rare sight on Mars, making this image an exciting discovery for the scientific community.
The Perseverance rover has been exploring Mars since its landing in 2021, and the Mars Sample Return mission aims to bring back samples from the planet to Earth.
Source: https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/blue-sky-mars-perseverance