You can follow Martian clouds and dust storms in NASA’s public imagery by comparing successive NASA image resources, especially daily global maps from the Mars Color Imager (MARCI). Use the maps to study broad weather patterns over time—not as a live forecast—and check stable surface landmarks before deciding that a feature has moved.
Start with MARCI’s daily global maps
MARCI, carried by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), collects pole-to-pole image swaths that are assembled into a daily global map. The maps show atmospheric features at approximately the same mid-afternoon local time, which makes a sequence of dates useful for seeing broad changes in dust and clouds. NASA describes these maps as useful for monitoring weather changes that could affect surface missions in “Mars Dust Storm in Relation to InSight, Curiosity and Perseverance”.
Choose several maps from different dates rather than drawing conclusions from one frame. Look for tan or beige atmospheric features and compare their shape and position against recognizable terrain—such as craters or polar deposits—that should remain fixed. NASA’s 2017 dust-storm sequence illustrates how storms can appear, expand, move, and dissipate across successive maps.
Check for map artifacts before interpreting motion
A global map is assembled from swaths, so not every dark or blurred feature represents weather. NASA notes that gaps in coverage can result from an MRO roll maneuver or missing orbit data; some parts of a map can also be saturated. In a sequence, regularly spaced blurry north–south bands may result from MARCI’s high off-nadir viewing geometry. These effects can make a feature appear to shift or change shape.
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- Anchor comparisons to terrain. Follow a crater or other fixed surface landmark alongside the atmospheric feature. If the map alignment or strip pattern changes, the landmark helps reveal that apparent movement may be a mosaic effect.
- Treat black gaps as missing coverage. A gap does not show that a storm or cloud vanished; it may indicate missing data or a spacecraft roll maneuver.
- Be cautious around saturated areas and blurry bands. Avoid interpreting fine color or shape differences there as atmospheric change without corroboration.
NASA’s 2018 MRO/MARCI sequence follows a giant dust storm from May 31 through June 11, 2018, while also noting black coverage gaps caused by targeted roll maneuvers and data drops. A separate January 9, 2022 map shows a regional storm obscuring Syrtis Major and Jezero Crater; NASA notes gaps and saturated color pixels in that image.
Recognize dust and water-ice clouds cautiously
NASA’s examples show both tan or beige dust storms and water-ice clouds. Color and shape in a published image are useful clues, but they are not a substitute for a detailed atmospheric retrieval; an image alone may not establish a feature’s exact composition.
For example, NASA’s Utopia Planitia MARCI image, acquired November 7, 2007, shows a short-lived dust storm and gravity-wave, or lee-wave, clouds coming off Mie crater. NASA says the storm lasted less than 24 hours. Lee-wave clouds can form when air is displaced vertically—for example, as wind crosses a mountain or crater wall—and atmospheric pressure, temperature, and height change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use CTX and HiRISE for terrain context, not as substitutes for daily maps
Other Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter cameras can help you inspect where a feature lies, but they serve different purposes from MARCI’s broad weather view. NASA’s MRO instrument descriptions distinguish the cameras’ roles:
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| Image source | What it is useful for | Weather-observation trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| MARCI | Broad, daily global coverage for tracking large-scale atmospheric patterns over dates. | Best suited to observing broad evolution; map gaps, saturation, and viewing geometry can affect interpretation. |
| CTX | Broader black-and-white terrain images that provide surface context. | Not equivalent to MARCI’s daily global weather maps. |
| HiRISE | Tightly focused, high-resolution views of selected locations. | Local detail is not a replacement for repeat global coverage when tracking weather evolution. |
For a changing storm, a consistent sequence of broad maps is generally more informative than maximum pixel detail in one targeted image. Use CTX or HiRISE to examine local terrain where available, while keeping the global MARCI sequence as the basis for tracking broad atmospheric change.
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A practical comparison checklist
- Select a MARCI map sequence. Compare more than one date, noting the approximate same mid-afternoon local-time mapping context.
- Mark fixed surface landmarks. Use recognizable terrain to keep track of map alignment and avoid mistaking mosaic artifacts for weather motion.
- Follow the atmospheric feature. Record changes in its apparent location, size, or shape, while noting black gaps, saturated pixels, and recurring blurry bands.
- Describe only what the image supports. Call a feature dust-like or cloud-like when appearance supports that description; do not claim a precise atmospheric composition from color alone.
- Add local camera context if useful. Consult CTX for broader terrain context or HiRISE for a targeted high-resolution view, without treating either as a daily global map.
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