NASA's clearest picture of Mars doesn't just look like home, it might be our next one
Pictures that were taken nearly a decade ago have resurfaced and captured the attention of space enthusiasts and scientists.
NASA
's Curiosity rover shared a 360-degree panorama of
Mars
, originally taken in December 2015.
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The picture shows the towering Namib Dune in the Bagnold Dune Field and the base of Mount Sharp. The Namib Dune is situated along the northwestern flank of Mount Sharp and is part of a larger dark-sand region known for its active movement.
People are comparing the picture with the footage of their blurry home security cameras due to its clarity and sharpness.
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"NASA can take this photo from Mars, but I can't get a clear image of my driveway at night?" one Reddit user joked. Another posted, "Meanwhile, my monitor looks like it's broadcasting from the moon."
It was taken by Curiosity's Mastcam on its 1,197th Martian day (or "sol") and shows a steep dune just 23 feet from the rover. The face of the dune rises about 16 feet, with a steep slope.
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The Mastcam, developed by Malin Space Science Systems, captured high-resolution color images that were later adjusted for white balance to approximate how the scene would appear under Earth's sunlit sky. The image was color corrected to match the Earth's lighting, making it more relatable and revealing a version of Mars that we can comprehend, and one that speaks to our senses
Curiosity, managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has been exploring Gale Crater since 2012. This particular image marked the first close-up study of active dunes on any planet other than Earth. These dunes aren't just static relics; they move. NASA's data show they shift about three feet each Earth year.
The dunes reveal secrets about Mars' past atmosphere, climate, and geological evolution. But for the rest of us, the emotional response may be even more powerful.
'It just makes you feel small — and proud,' one user wrote on Reddit. 'Like we're out there. Like humans made it.'
But every so often, an old image, from a lonely rover 140 million miles away, reminds us that one day, we might just call Mars home.
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