Skip Navigation
menu

Images

Curiosity Navigation Cameras Spot Twilight Clouds on Sol 3072

Using the navigation cameras on its mast, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover took these images of clouds just after sunset on March 28, 2021, the 3,072nd sol, or Martian day, of the mission.

May 28, 2021

Using the navigation cameras on its mast, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover took these images of clouds just after sunset on March 28, 2021, the 3,072nd sol, or Martian day, of the mission. These noctilucent, or twilight clouds, are made of water ice; ice crystals reflect the setting sun, allowing the detail in each cloud to be seen more easily.

More information about Curiosity is online at http://www.nasa.gov/msl and https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/.

Credits

NASA/JPL-Caltech

ENLARGE

Related

The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission will study chemistry of rocks, soil and air as the mission's rover, Curiosity, investigates Gale Crater on Mars.
More
The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission will study chemistry of rocks, soil and air as the mission's rover, Curiosity, investigates Gale Crater on Mars.
SAM Instrument at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
This pair of images taken a few minutes apart show how laser firing by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity removes dust from the surface of a rock.
More
This pair of images taken a few minutes apart show how laser firing by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity removes dust from the surface of a rock.
Curiosity's ChemCam Removes Dust
New Year's Eve revelers watching giant screens in New York's Times Square saw a special Happy New Year greeting from Mars, currently 206 million miles away. (No audio)
More
From Mars Curiosity to Times Square: Happy New Year
From Mars Curiosity to Times Square: Happy New Year
The location of a rock target called "Knorr" is indicated on this self-portrait of the Curiosity rover in the "Yellowknife Bay" area.
More
The location of a rock target called "Knorr" is indicated on this self-portrait of the Curiosity rover in the "Yellowknife Bay" area.
Rock Target 'Knorr' Near Curiosity in Rover's Self-Portrait
Members of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory team carefully steer the hoisted Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument during its June 15, 2010, installation into the mission's Mars rover, Curiosity.
More
Members of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory team carefully steer the hoisted Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument during its installation into the Mars rover, Curiosity.
Chemistry and Mineralogy Instrument Installed in Mars Rover
This map shows the route on lower Mount Sharp that NASA's Curiosity followed between April 19, 2015, and Nov. 5, 2015. During this period the mission investigated silica-rich rock targets includin...
More
This map shows the route on lower Mount Sharp that NASA's Curiosity followed between April 19, 2015, and Nov. 5, 2015.
Curiosity's Path During 2015 Studies of Silica-Rich Rocks
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used one of its Hazcams to catch this apparent dusty wind gust blowing overhead on March 18, 2022, the 3,418th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Scientists believe it...
More
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used one of its Hazcams to catch this apparent dusty wind gust blowing overhead on March 18, 2022, the 3,418th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.
Curiosity's Hazcam Catches a Dusty Wind Gust
The 2013 list of the 100 most influential people named by TIME Magazine includes three men from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
More
The 2013 list of the 100 most influential people named by TIME Magazine includes three men from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Three JPLers Named Among the 'Most Influential'
Delta II rocket lifts off the launch pad with the Phoenix spacecraft onboard.
More
Delta II rocket lifts off the launch pad with the Phoenix spacecraft onboard.
Phoenix launch image
This feather-shaped iridescent cloud was captured just after sunset on Jan. 27, 2023, the 3,724th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's mission. Studying the colors in iridescent clouds tells scienti...
More
This feather-shaped iridescent cloud was captured just after sunset on Jan. 27, 2023, the 3,724th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity’s mission.
Curiosity Views Feather-Shaped Iridescent Cloud
Mastcam 34: Shorter Focal-Length Eye of Mast Camera Pair for Mars Rover
More
Mastcam 34: Shorter Focal-Length Eye of Mast Camera Pair for Mars Rover
Mastcam 34: Shorter Focal-Length Eye of Mast Camera Pair for Mars Rover
This artist's still shows how NASA's Curiosity rover will communicate with Earth during landing.
More
This artist's still shows how NASA's Curiosity rover will communicate with Earth during landing.
Communicating with Curiosity
Beyond a dark sand dune closer to the rover, a Martian dust devil passes in front of the horizon in this sequence of images from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover. The rover's Navigation Camera made this...
More
Beyond a dark sand dune closer to the rover, a Martian dust devil passes in front of the horizon in this sequence of images from NASA's Curiosity Mars rover. The rover's Navigation Camera made this series of observations on Feb. 4, 2017, during the local afternoon in Mars' Gale Crater.
Dust Devil Passes Near Martian Sand Dune
This portion of an image from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been annotated to show the relative positions between NASA's Curiosit...
More
Inspecting Curiosity's Descent Stage Crash Site
Inspecting Curiosity's Descent Stage Crash Site
This image shows an example of a thin-laminated, evenly stratified rock type that occurs in the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp on Mars. The Mastcam on NASA's Curiosity Mars rove...
More
This image shows an example of a thin-laminated, evenly stratified rock type that occurs in the "Pahrump Hills" outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp on Mars. The Mastcam on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover acquired this view on Oct. 28, 2014. This type of rock can form under a lake.
Thin-Laminated Rock in 'Pahrump Hills' Outcrop
Images taken before and after NASA's Curiosity rover shot its laser 50 times are shown here.
More
Images taken before and after NASA's Curiosity rover shot its laser 50 times are shown here.
After the Laser Shots
This stereo view of terrestrial rocks combines two images taken by a testing twin of the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on NASA's Mars Science Laboratory. It appears three-dimensional when vi...
More
This stereo view of terrestrial rocks combines two images taken by a testing twin of the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on NASA's Mars Science Laboratory.
Test Image of Earth Rocks by Mars Camera (Stereo)
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has driven within robotic-arm's reach of the sandstone slab at the center of this April 23 view from the rover's Mast Camera.
More
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has driven within robotic-arm's reach of the sandstone slab at the center of this April 23 view from the rover's Mast Camera.
Sandstone Target 'Windjana' May Be Next Martian Drilling Site - RAW
NASA's Curiosity rover pinged the ground with neutrons for the first time, a process called active neutron sounding, on Aug. 17, 2012.
More
NASA's Curiosity rover pinged the ground with neutrons for the first time, a process called active neutron sounding, on Aug. 17, 2012.
Curiosity Blasts Ground with Neutrons
Download a zip file of Curiosity’s Landing Site: Topographic Model of Gale Crater.
More
Curiosity’s Landing Site: Topographic Model of Gale Crater
Curiosity's Landing Site: Topographic Model of Gale Crater
NASA's Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft, sealed inside its payload fairing atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, clears the tower at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force ...
More
NASA's Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft, sealed inside its payload fairing atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, clears the tower at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Mars Science Laboratory Launches
These schematic drawings show a top view and a cutaway view of a section of the drill on NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars.
More
These schematic drawings show a top view and a cutaway view of a section of the drill on NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars.
Views of Curiosity's Drill
One priority target for a closer look by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity before the rover departs the "Glenelg" area east of its landing site is the pitted outcrop called "Point Lake," in the upper hal...
More
'Point Lake' Outcrop in Gale Crater, Raw Color
'Point Lake' Outcrop in Gale Crater, Raw Color
Engineers work on Opportunity (in its cruise configuration) in a cleanroom at Kennedy Space Center. A very important part of planetary protection is keeping contaminants from humans from riding abo...
More
Engineers work on Opportunity (in its cruise configuration) in a cleanroom at Kennedy Space Center. A very important part of planetary protection is keeping contaminants from humans from riding aboard spacecraft. The pictured engineers are donning "bunny suits" that only allow their eyes to be exposed.
Planetary Protection Technologies Opportunity at the Cape
This image of a Martian rock illuminated by ultraviolet LEDs (light emitting diodes) is part of the first set of nighttime images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera at the end of the...
More
This image of a Martian rock illuminated by ultraviolet LEDs (light emitting diodes) is part of the first set of nighttime images taken by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera at the end of the robotic arm of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity.
MAHLI's First Night Imaging of Martian Rock Under Ultraviolet Lighting

You Might Also Like

The agency is asking the NASA community to work together to develop a revised plan that leverages innovation and proven technology.
More
NASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs
NASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs
NASA has proven powered, controlled flight is possible on other worlds, just as the Wright brothers proved it was possible on Earth.
More
After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends
After Three Years on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends
The agency established the board in May 2023 to evaluate the technical, cost, and schedule plans prior to confirmation of the mission’s design.
More
NASA Releases Independent Review's Mars Sample Return Report
NASA Releases Independent Review's Mars Sample Return Report
A pair of quakes in 2021 sent seismic waves deep into the Red Planet’s core, giving scientists the best data yet on its size and composition.
More
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
NASA InSight Study Provides Clearest Look Ever at Martian Core
Ten sample tubes, capturing an amazing variety of Martian geology, have been deposited on Mars’ surface so they could be studied on Earth in the future.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
NASA's Perseverance Rover Completes Mars Sample Depot
Filled with rock, the sample tube will be one of 10 forming a depot of tubes that could be considered for a journey to Earth by the Mars Sample Return campaign.
More
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface
NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface