On March 18, 2024, NASA’s Perseverance rover achieved a groundbreaking feat by capturing Mars’s first-ever visible-light image of an aurora. The image was released on 14th May 2025. This event marked the first time such a phenomenon was observed from the surface of another planet. The faint green glow from a powerful solar storm illuminated the Martian night sky and was recorded by Perseverance’s Mastcam-Z and SuperCam instruments.
The science behind Martian auroras
Auroras occur when charged particles from the Sun interact with a planet’s atmosphere. On Earth, these interactions are guided by the planet’s global magnetic field, leading to concentrated displays near the poles. Mars, however, lacks a global magnetic field, resulting in more diffuse and widespread auroral activity. The green hue observed by Perseverance is attributed to excited oxygen molecules in Mars’ thin atmosphere, similar to Earth’s auroras but more uniform in appearance.
Capturing the phenomenon
The aurora captured by Perseverance was triggered by a solar flare and a subsequent coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun. These events sent energetic particles toward Mars, interacting with its atmosphere to produce the visible glow. With three days’ advance notice, scientists coordinated observations using Perseverance’s cameras to capture the event. This successful detection opens new avenues for studying Martian space weather and atmospheric responses to solar activity.
“This exciting discovery opens up new possibilities for auroral research and confirms that auroras could be visible to future astronauts on Mars’ surface.”
(Elise Knutsen, Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oslo in Norway and lead author of the Science Advances study)
Collaborative efforts and future implications
The observation was confirmed by NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission, which has been studying Mars’ upper atmosphere and its interactions with the solar wind. The collaboration between surface and orbital missions enhances our understanding of Martian atmospheric dynamics. This discovery not only provides insights into Mars’ atmospheric behavior but also has implications for future human exploration, as understanding space weather is crucial for astronaut safety.
The successful capture of a visible-light aurora on Mars by the Perseverance rover marks a significant milestone in planetary science. It demonstrates the capabilities of current technology to observe and study atmospheric phenomena on other planets, paving the way for future explorations and a deeper understanding of our solar system.
Clear skies!
