Scientists study Martian clouds by taking repeated images with rover cameras, especially around sunrise and sunset, then comparing cloud motion, shape, and illumination with atmospheric measurements. Those images can help estimate cloud height and reveal clues about ice particles—but they do not always identify a cloud’s composition on their own.
How do rovers photograph clouds on Mars?
Rovers point cameras toward the sky and capture frames at selected times. A time series shows how a cloud moves or changes shape; a mosaic combines frames to cover a wider area. The camera and timing matter because the images are observations of a changing atmosphere, not merely snapshots.
Navigation cameras show structure and motion
Navigation cameras, or Navcams, are typically black and white. Their repeated frames can show cloud drift and fine structure. On May 17, 2019, Curiosity’s Navcams captured a three-frame mosaic of clouds that NASA described as likely water ice about 19 miles (31 kilometers) above the surface. NASA also explains that the time when sunlight leaves a cloud can help estimate its altitude: NASA Science’s Curiosity cloud mosaic.
Color cameras add information about appearance
Curiosity’s Mastcam provides color images that can help scientists study how light scatters through clouds, including iridescent colors. In a NASA account of 2021 observations, Curiosity used both Navcam and Mastcam around sunset. Some early-season clouds appeared higher than typical clouds and might have been carbon-dioxide ice, but more analysis was needed to classify individual images: NASA/JPL’s account of Curiosity’s twilight clouds.
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Perseverance has also photographed clouds. Its navigation camera recorded a sequence just before sunrise on March 18, 2023 (sol 738, the rover’s 738th Martian day): NASA Science’s Perseverance cloud sequence.
Why photograph clouds at twilight?
After sunset, the ground is dark, but a cloud high in the atmosphere may still be lit by the Sun. That contrast can make faint cloud shapes and ripples easier to see. The timing of when sunlight disappears from a cloud also gives scientists a way to infer how high it is. This is an estimate based on illumination and viewing geometry, not a direct range measurement.
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Twilight observations can also reveal clouds that are difficult to distinguish against a bright daytime sky. Their colors and iridescence provide clues about the size and growth of ice particles, though color alone does not prove what a cloud is made of.
What can cloud images tell scientists?
Height and illumination
A cloud that remains sunlit after the surface enters darkness must be high enough to receive sunlight at that time. By tracking its illumination, researchers can estimate altitude. The result depends on the observation conditions and should be treated as an inference rather than a direct measurement.
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Possible composition
Mars has clouds made of both water ice and carbon-dioxide ice. Altitude and atmospheric temperature help scientists assess which type is plausible, but a photograph may not settle the question. NASA’s discussion of the 2021 Curiosity observations notes that more analysis was needed for some images.
A 16-minute recording made by Curiosity’s left Mastcam on January 17, 2025 (sol 4,426), captured high noctilucent clouds NASA identified as carbon-dioxide ice at about 37–50 miles (60–80 kilometers). White ice plumes descended to around 31 miles (50 kilometers) before evaporating; lower water-ice clouds briefly appeared in the opposite direction at roughly 31 miles (50 kilometers) above the rover. These figures describe that observation, not a universal altitude range for Martian clouds: NASA/JPL’s 2025 account of Curiosity’s cloud recording.
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Particle properties and cloud development
Iridescent twilight clouds can help scientists investigate particle size and growth. But the physical process that creates some twilight clouds is still not fully explained. Atmospheric scientist Mark Lemmon of the Space Science Institute told NASA: “Carbon dioxide was not expected to be condensing into ice here, so something is cooling it to the point that it could happen. But Martian gravity waves are not fully understood and we’re not entirely sure what is causing twilight clouds to form in one place but not another.” That is an open question, not a confirmed explanation.
Why do scientists combine images with other measurements?
Images show appearance and change, but other instruments can provide additional atmospheric context. Curiosity’s ChemCam can observe the sky at different angles and positions. NASA atmospheric scientist Scott Guzewich describes what that adds: “In a passive sky observation, ChemCam looks at the sky at different angles and positions and we are able to learn about the properties of dust, water ice clouds, and measure abundances of atmospheric gases like oxygen.” Curiosity observations have also been coordinated with the Trace Gas Orbiter to measure gases from the surface toward the top of the atmosphere: NASA Science’s account of ChemCam sky observations.
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Combining instruments helps put a visual clue in context. For example, a cloud’s brightness or apparent color can guide interpretation, while atmospheric observations help characterize conditions that a camera cannot measure by itself.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why are repeated observations important?
Clouds can be short-lived, and rover schedules are planned in advance. A rover may not be able to return to the same view before a feature disappears. Sequences taken over multiple sols, at different times or viewing directions, help researchers build a record of when and where atmospheric features occur. They are samples of fleeting events, not continuous monitoring. NASA describes the challenges of observing transient Martian atmospheric phenomena and the value of repeat measurements in its discussion of a cloudy day on Mars.
Long-running observations can make some seasonal patterns predictable enough to plan for. Lemmon told NASA, “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 planning applies to the observed pattern, not to every cloud or every location on Mars.
How do rover images compare with orbiter observations?
Rover cameras provide views from a particular site and can be paired with measurements from instruments on the ground. Orbiter images cover broader areas and help researchers examine cloud structures beyond a rover’s local horizon. The approaches complement each other rather than serving as interchangeable observations.
NASA’s Cloudspotting on Mars project invites volunteers to mark cloud features in images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Those classifications help researchers investigate where clouds occur and study the atmosphere: NASA’s Cloudspotting on Mars project.
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