It's The Turn Of The Ingenuity Helicopter To Capture The Sun On Mars After The Curiosity Explorer

JAKARTA - After the Curiosity rover, now it's the turn of the little Ingenuity helicopter to capture the sunset on Mars on its 45th flight.

The sun that slipped on Mars was successfully immortalized by Ingenuity on February 22, when the helicopter made another long flight, covering a distance of more than 1,600 feet from a location called Airfield Zeta to a location called Airfield Eta.

During the 145-second journey, the helicopter climbed to an altitude of nearly 40 feet and reached a maximum speed of more than 13 miles per hour. At that time, Ingenuity took pictures using high-resolution color cameras.

The camera is commonly used by Ingenuity to take pictures below the horizon. NASA shared images while announcing Ingenuity is preparing for another 47th flight further within about 140 seconds of the flight, heading southwest.

Onward and upward, Ingenuity!The #MarsHelicopter will attempt Flight 47 no earlier than March 9. It is expected to fly 1,411 feet (430 m) southwest to reposition itself and image science targets along the way. https://t.co/RlRQibnpIQ pic.twitter.com/TMdLB4Yf5T

— NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) March 9, 2023

And Ingenuity will take more science targets along the way. It is known, flight 46 took place on February 25 and will cover another 1,400 feet.

"Progress and rise, Ingenuity!. #MarsHelicopter will try Flight 47 no earlier than March 9. It is estimated that it will fly 1,411 feet (430 meters) southwest to reposition itself and image science targets along the way," NASA said on Twitter @NASAJPL.

Previously, the Curiosity rover caught a clear sunset on Mars. This is the first time sunlight has seen so clearly on the planet.

According to NASA, the sunset on Mars has uniquely changed, but Curiosity has caught a prominent past month.

Most of the Martian clouds flew no more than 37 miles above the ground and consisted of water ice, the clouds in the latest images appear to be at a higher altitude, which is very cold.

This cloud is made of carbon dioxide ice, or dry ice. These clouds were captured as part of a follow-up imaging campaign to study the noctilescent clouds, or night shining clouds, which began in 2021.

Like on Earth, clouds provide scientists with complex but important information to understand the weather.

By looking at when and where clouds form, scientists can learn more about the composition and temperature of the Martian atmosphere, as well as the wind inside.