According to NASA, clouds are rare in the thin atmosphere of Mars, and usually form only in the skies of equatorial regions during the coldest period of the Martian year . Scientists have noticed that last year (on Mars, so about two years ago on Earth) there were traces of cloud formations forming earlier than expected, so "ready" to be photographed this year.
The images sent by rover not only proved stunning, but also provided the research team with additional information on the top of the planet. The first observable clouds are generally found at an altitude of about 60 kilometers above the planet's surface, and consist mainly of frozen water. The clouds that are encountered at higher altitudes, on the other hand, are probably composed of frozen carbon dioxide or dry ice, according to what NASA scholars have reported.
Credits: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS
The images provided by Curiosity are both black and white and color: the black and white photos show the rippled details of the clouds more clearly, although the color ones remain undoubtedly the most spectacular, clearly showing the refraction of light. in the frozen crystals they contain in suspension.