Scientists photograph Martian clouds by pointing rover cameras at the sky and taking images in timed sequences, often near sunrise or sunset. They study how clouds move, change shape and catch sunlight, then compare those visual clues with atmospheric measurements and observations from orbit. A photograph can suggest a cloud’s height or type, but it is one piece of evidence—not a complete atmospheric analysis.
How rover cameras capture clouds
Curiosity and Perseverance use mast-mounted cameras to look upward at selected times. A sequence of frames reveals motion and changing shape; combining frames into a mosaic can show a wider patch of sky. Different cameras contribute different information:
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- Navigation cameras (Navcams): These provide black-and-white views useful for tracking cloud structure and movement.
- Mastcam: Color images can show variations in brightness and color, including iridescence that may help scientists study cloud particles.
For example, Curiosity used its black-and-white Navcams to make a three-frame mosaic on May 17, 2019 (sol 2,410). NASA described the clouds as likely water ice, about 19 miles (31 kilometers) above the surface. NASA Science’s account of the 2019 observation explains that scientists can use when sunlight leaves a cloud to estimate its altitude.
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Perseverance’s navigation camera also recorded a cloud sequence just before sunrise on March 18, 2023 (sol 738). NASA Science provides the sequence and observation details.
Why twilight is useful
After sunset, the surface can be in darkness while high clouds still receive sunlight. Against the dark sky, faint cloud structures and ripples may stand out. The timing of when a cloud stops being illuminated helps constrain its altitude: the result is an inference based on the viewing and lighting geometry, not a direct range measurement.
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Sunrise and sunset observations can also reveal color and iridescence. Those effects give scientists clues about particle size and how cloud particles grow or evolve, but they do not independently determine every property of the cloud.
What images can—and cannot—tell scientists
Cloud height and lighting
A cloud that remains sunlit after the rover’s surroundings have darkened must be high enough to remain in sunlight. Scientists use the illumination pattern and observing geometry to estimate its height. That estimate is specific to the observed cloud and conditions; it should not be treated as a universal altitude for Martian clouds.
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Water ice or carbon-dioxide ice
Mars has clouds made of water ice and carbon-dioxide ice. Temperature and altitude help scientists judge which is plausible, but an image may not resolve the question by itself. NASA’s 2021 account, for instance, described some clouds as possible carbon-dioxide ice and said more analysis was needed.
A later Curiosity observation illustrates the range of phenomena that can appear in one recording. On Jan. 17, 2025 (sol 4,426), its left Mastcam captured a 16-minute recording. NASA/JPL described noctilucent carbon-dioxide-ice clouds at about 37–50 miles (60–80 kilometers) altitude. Ice plumes descended to around 31 miles (50 kilometers) before evaporating, while lower water-ice clouds briefly appeared in the opposite direction at about 31 miles (50 kilometers) above the rover. These are reported estimates for that observation, not a profile that applies to every Martian cloud. NASA/JPL’s account of the 2025 recording describes the images and their interpretation.
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Particle properties and open questions
Iridescent twilight clouds can provide information about particle size and growth. Atmospheric scientist Mark Lemmon of the Space Science Institute told NASA/JPL that the seasonal timing of some clouds has become predictable enough for advance planning: “Now it’s become so predictable that we can plan our shots in advance; the clouds show up at exactly the same time of year.” That predictability helps teams schedule observations, but it does not mean every atmospheric event can be forecast.
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Why scientists combine images with other measurements
Rover photographs show what is visible from one location and can be coordinated with instruments on the ground. Curiosity’s ChemCam, for example, can observe the sky at different angles and positions. NASA atmospheric scientist Scott Guzewich said passive sky observations can help researchers learn about dust and water-ice clouds and measure atmospheric gases such as oxygen. NASA also describes coordinating surface measurements with the Trace Gas Orbiter to study gases from the ground toward the top of the atmosphere. NASA Science’s account of Curiosity’s atmospheric observations provides this instrument context.
Images from orbit complement rover observations. A rover can repeatedly observe the sky from its particular site and pair views with local measurements; an orbiter can capture cloud structures over broader areas. NASA’s Cloudspotting on Mars project uses Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter imagery and invites participants to mark cloud features, helping researchers examine where clouds occur. The Cloudspotting on Mars project page explains how to take part.
Why repeated observations matter
Clouds and other atmospheric features can be short-lived, and rover observation plans are prepared in advance. A single sequence is a snapshot of a fleeting event, not continuous monitoring. Repeating observations at different times, in different directions and across multiple sols lets scientists build a stronger record of when and where features appear. NASA describes the challenge of observing transient atmospheric phenomena and the value of measurements collected over time. NASA Science’s discussion of Curiosity’s cloud observations explains why teams plan recurring opportunities.
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