NASA’s Curiosity Rover Captures Stunning Iridescent Clouds on Mars

The twilight clouds, composed of carbon dioxide ice, reveal new insights into Martian atmospheric conditions.

Curiosity rover recorded colorful noctilucent clouds, including rare iridescent formations, on January 17 during its mission on Mount Sharp in Gale Crater.
The clouds, visible only during twilight, are formed of either water ice or carbon dioxide ice, with the latter producing the observed iridescence at altitudes of 37 to 50 miles above the Martian surface.
This marks the fourth Martian year of twilight cloud observations by Curiosity, providing valuable data on particle size, growth rates, and atmospheric dynamics.
Scientists are investigating the mystery of why carbon dioxide ice clouds are found only in specific regions of Mars, potentially linked to poorly understood gravity waves that cool the atmosphere.
The Mastcam images, partially obscured due to a stuck filter wheel, were captured as Curiosity transitions to a new research site featuring unique geological formations like boxwork and ancient impact craters.