Martian dawn pic from Curiosity rover highlights cliffs and crags

But scientists think something is odd about this yardang layer on Mars. Ashwin Vasavada , Curiosity project scientist of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said: The yardang layer looks out of place. It’s the wrong color, the layers tilt at an odd angle, and it almost appears plastered on.

But that’s what makes it exciting to reach. No one is sure exactly what created this layer, but one idea is it may be ash deposited by ancient volcanic eruptions. View larger . | Here’s the full panorama of the Martian dawn with all 6 shots from NASA’s Curiosity rover.

NASA said: “Unlike most images from the rover’s Mastcam, this one was processed without the usual white balancing; an artistic choice that preserves the early morning appearance.” Image via NASA / JPL-Caltech/ MSSS. More about Mount Sharp Mount Sharp lies within Gale Crater. And it makes up the crater’s central peak.

Curiosity has now climbed 0.6 miles (1 km) of elevation as it ascends toward Mount Sharp. In fact, that’s the highest ever climbed on Mars, and the rover is still going. Scientists say Mount Sharp is made of layers that formed over time.

Lakes and streams once flowed here. But eventually, the water dried up and left behind salty deposits. The wind then eroded away some of the material, leaving behind the crags or yardangs.

Now the little Curiosity rover will roll onward, perhaps reaching the base of the yardangs by 2027. We look forward to seeing these jagged formations from a closer point of view! This is an artist’s concept looking down at Mount Sharp on Mars.

The circled area denotes the location of the yardangs, or crags, in the top image. Image via NASA / JPL-Caltech/ ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin/ MSSS. Bottom line: On October 6, 2026, NASA released an image of Martian dawn from the Curiosity rover.

The image captures a pale light illuminating distant cliffs and crags. Via NASA Kelly Kizer Whitt View Articles About the Author: Kelly Kizer Whitt writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She's been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades.

She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children's picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.