First Visible Martian Aurora Captured by NASA's Perseverance

NASA's Perseverance rover has made a groundbreaking observation by detecting the first aurora on Mars that is visible to the human eye. This development offers promising news for future astronauts, who may get to enjoy this celestial spectacle on the red planet.

Reported by European and US scientists, the green aurora was noticed in the Martian sky following a solar storm last year. The event, which drew attention due to its visibility in the dusty skies, was anticipated three days in advance, giving ample time to capture it via the rover's cameras.

Previously, Martian auroras were only observed in ultraviolet light. However, this recent occurrence is in the visible wavelength, a result of a solar flare in March 2024, followed by a coronal mass ejection aimed at Mars. University of Oslo's Elise Wright Knutsen highlighted that this advancement allows scientists to better forecast Martian auroras, thus enhancing space weather studies.

(With inputs from agencies.)