A strange ‘blue sunset’ captured by the Perseverance rover on Mars at dusk

NASA’s Mars rover has been on a mission on the Red Planet for more than 800 days and has been able to capture images of events that were theoretically known, but for which there were few or no photographic records.

One of them is sunset on Mars, Which looks very different from the red or orange we see from Earth.

In an image taken on July 4, 2023, the rover adjusted its navigation camera toward the hazy horizon, capturing a noticeably cool glow during sunset.

And in other topics: (Juan José Rodríguez Jr., the unacknowledged son of “El Puma”, has died: we told you)

Sunsets on Mars are usually highlighted Its distinctive blue colorFine dust in the atmosphere allows blue light to penetrate the atmosphere more efficiently than colors with longer wavelengths.

As described science alert, Due to its distance from the Sun, Mars receives less light and its atmosphere is composed mainly of carbon dioxide with traces of oxygen and nitrogen, making it weaker than Earth’s. The mixture of gas and a thin layer of atmosphere scatters the light into a blue haze.

Continue reading: (NASA’s Perseverance rover records a new phenomenon: a large dust devil on Mars)

Contrary to what happens on our planet, light during the day is red, while at night it turns blue.

These types of images allow researchers to analyze the composition of the Martian atmosphere and give curious people the opportunity to see an event that would otherwise be impossible.

Also: (NASA success: Perseverance rover produces oxygen with the Martian atmosphere)

The rover was sent with the goal of collecting and storing Martian rocks and regolith (crushed rocks and dust), but it will also determine the geology and climate Mars had in the past and its current details.

Milestone of oxygen creation on Mars

Traveling with the Perseverance rover in Jezero Crater on Mars MOXIE (Mars Oxygen Resource In Situ Experiment) instrument It has proven to be a viable technology for astronauts to produce oxygen for fuel and breathing upon their arrival on the Red Planet.

Since Perseverance landed on Mars in 2021, MOXIE produced a total of 122 grams of oxygen, which is approximately what a small dog breathes out in 10 hours.

MOXIE, at its highest efficiency, was able to produce 12 grams of oxygen per hour (twice NASA’s original goals for the instrument) with 98% purity or better. In the 16th round, on August 7, the device produced 9.8 grams of oxygen.

MOXIE produces molecular oxygen through an electrochemical process that separates one oxygen atom for each carbon dioxide molecule pumped out of Mars’ thin atmosphere. When these gases flow through the system, they are analyzed to see the purity and quantity of oxygen produced.

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With information from the European press

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