Curiosity's Mars Explorer Sends Stunning Rusty Sand Images

JAKARTA – Mars is a dry and sandy planet, and new photos from NASA's Curiosity rover have shown astonishing details about the planet. While Mars is often romanticized as a home for future humans, it's important to remember how different Mars is from Earth.

Carbon dioxide dominates most of the atmosphere, the average surface temperature is around -80°F, and there is no natural way for humans to survive without extensive research/technology.

While scientists continue to find ways to safely bring humans to the planet, advanced robotics is exploring Mars in the interim. Between Curiosity, Perseverance, and Ingenuity, NASA is gathering a lot of information about the planet. Robots have collected samples of Martian rock, hunted for signs of ancient life, and captured thousands of images to document their journey.

One of the newest Mars photos comes from Curiosity. Curiosity has been patrolling Mars since August 2012 and has been an invaluable tool for NASA ever since. The ride captured the image above with the Left Navigation Camera on October 18, 2021, at 23:50 UTC. The original photo was taken in black-and-white, although Screen Rant has converted it to a fake color image to better represent the colors of Mars. The result is something truly amazing.

While sand isn't anything new to us on Earth, it looks very different from usual on Mars. The sand in this photo has a dark, rusty appearance, similar to the other rocks and dunes that make up the rest of the planet.

Beautiful colors are also combined with detailed patterns throughout. Thanks to the frequent winds and sandstorms on Mars, the planet's sand often has intricate swirls and lines as shown above.

Images like these do an excellent job of displaying the raw beauty that Mars is so famous for. Rock, sand, and wind are simple elements that stand on their own — and are commonplace on Earth. However, they come together in a unique way on Mars. The planet may be barren and lifeless, but these photos prove that a lonely planet doesn't have to be ugly. In fact, it can be very interesting.

It's also far from the only photo of its kind. Other Martian images this year have showcased delightful rock formations, impressive dunes, and haunting sunrises. Most humans today may never see these things themselves, but NASA is getting thousands of new images like this all the time.

They make space exploration accessible to everyone, help scientists learn more about Mars, and are generally a lot of fun.