Nasa releases striking image of dawn on Mars

NASA's Curiosity rover has captured an extraordinary image of dawn on Mars, showcasing the planet's striking sunrise over jagged crags formed billions of years ago. The rover, which landed in 2012 near Mars' equator in Gale Crater, has been climbing Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-tall mountain rising from the crater floor. The new image, taken by Curiosity's Mastcam camera about an hour after the sun rose, reveals the distinct rock layer known as yardangs, formed from wind-blown sediment or possibly volcanic ash.

Planetary scientist Ashwin Vasavada explained that this layer, spanning around 10 miles across the northwestern side of Mount Sharp, likely formed about 3 billion years ago, coinciding with the rest of the mountain's creation. However, it appears to be an add-on, situated above an 'unconformity' – a gap in time where previous layers were eroded before new ones were deposited.

Curiosity's ascent up the mountain has gained it over 0.6 miles (1 km) in elevation, the most of any rover on Mars. The layer-cake of Mount Sharp, each layer recording a period of the planet's geological past, has provided scientists with valuable insights into ancient bodies of water, lakes, and streams on Mars. NASA aims to have Curiosity reach the yardang layer in 2027 or 2028, allowing the rover to investigate the geology further.

Curiosity's mission is to study Mars' geology and climate, as well as investigate whether the planet once harbored conditions suitable for microbial life. The rover is one of two active NASA rovers on Mars, the other being Perseverance, which is exploring the margins of Jezero Crater in the northern hemisphere.