A really cool sunset was snapped by a robot that has been exploring Mars for a long time. It’s the beginning of a project to take pictures of the clouds on Mars.
The sunsets on Mars are always so amazing, and last month NASA’s Curiosity rover captured an especially beautiful one. On February 2nd, the Sun went down and lit up a bank of clouds in its rays. We call these ‘sun rays’ or ‘twilight rays’, which happen when the light is blocked by a cloud or something tall close to the horizon. It was the first time anyone on Earth could see them so clearly on Mars!
Recently, Curiosity looked at the sky during sunset and took pictures of something really cool! These clouds aren’t like regular clouds because they appear to be up higher in the sky, where it is super cold. Scientists think these clouds are actually made of carbon dioxide ice, also known as dry ice.
Clouds on Mars like they are on Earth, provide scientists with important information to understand the Martian weather. By looking at where and when clouds form, scientists can learn more about what the atmosphere is made of, as well as its temperatures and winds.
In 2021, scientists studied the clouds on Mars using two of Curiosity’s cameras. The black-and-white navigation camera was used to get a detailed picture of the cloud’s shape while the color Mast Camera was used to see how the cloud particles change over time. This survey started in January and will end in mid-March.
On January 27, Curiosity took a photo of sun beams and beautiful colorful clouds that looked like feathers. When the sunlight hit these special clouds, they created a rainbow effect called “iridescence”.
Mark Lemmon, who works at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado, said that when you see something called “iridescence” in a cloud, it means that the sizes of the particles of the cloud are very similar in each part. He also said that when we look at different colors in the cloud, it can tell us about how these particles change size over time and how the cloud is changing as well.
The Curiosity Rover captured both the sun and clouds. It combined 28 photos taken of them and sent those photos back to Earth. These pictures have been adjusted to make the colors more visible and vibrant.
Exploring the World Through an Open Mind
The world is a big and ever-evolving place that provides us with numerous opportunities to learn and grow. We should always strive to be open-minded, as it helps us appreciate different cultures, encourage diversity, seek out knowledge and new experiences. Having an open mind allows us to look past our own biases, become aware of different perspectives, and ultimately connect better with the people around us. Therefore, it’s important for everyone to work on expanding their horizons in order to gain a deeper understanding of the world.
