Perseverance Captures Mars' Mysterious Green Glow

NASA's Perseverance rover has captured the first known instance of an aurora appearing in visible light on Mars, enhancing our understanding of atmospheric phenomena on the Red Planet.

On March 18, 2024, solar particles collided with the Martian atmosphere, causing a faint green glow to encircle the planet. Previously, such auroras have only been detected from orbit, primarily using ultraviolet wavelengths.

The event sheds light on Mars' lack of a global magnetic field, leading to planet-wide auroras during solar storms. Researchers utilized Perseverance's instruments to document the phenomenon, opening possibilities for future astronauts to witness such displays.

(With inputs from agencies.)