A Celestial Spectacle Unveiled!

In an unprecedented achievement, NASA's Perseverance rover has captured stunning images of green auroras dancing in the skies of Mars! This groundbreaking event occurred shortly after a fierce solar eruption sent waves of plasma toward the Red Planet, allowing scientists to glimpse auroras for the very first time from its surface.

A Discovery Years in the Making!

On March 22, 2024, the Perseverance rover recorded this dazzling display above the Jezero Crater, a location already famous for its ancient river delta and potential signs of past life. With Mars located a staggering 33.9 million miles from Earth, this new discovery opens up thrilling avenues for auroral research, proving that the Martian atmosphere can display luminous phenomena akin to Earth’s own spectacular northern and southern lights.

How Did This Happen?

The magic began on March 15, 2024, when the Sun unleashed a powerful X-class flare along with a coronal mass ejection (CME). This plasma cloud rushed through space, laden with solar energetic particles (SEPs). While Earth’s magnetic field channels these charged particles to create polar auroras, Mars, which lacks such a field, experiences a brilliantly glowing atmosphere when exposed to these solar storms.

The Eyes of Perseverance!

Before this monumental moment, NASA's MAVEN orbiter had already shown that SEPs could produce vast auroras high above Mars, but predictions indicated that intense storms could lead to oxygen atoms emitting a green light wavelength of 557.7 nanometers—just like Earth's auroras. To capture this phenomenon, engineers tuned two powerful instruments on the rover: the Mastcam-Z imager and the SuperCam spectrometer.

Timing is Everything!

NASA's Moon to Mars Space Weather Analysis Office played a pivotal role by continuously monitoring solar activity to pinpoint the exact moment when conditions would be ripe for auroras. On March 15, a timely alert was dispatched to all active Mars missions, signaling that the anticipated CME would soon strike the planet. The goal was to simultaneously observe the right solar storm to maximize the chances for auroras.

A Phenomenal Find!

Just two days later, as the CME impacted Mars, the Perseverance rover turned its sensors skyward. The SuperCam spectrometer detected a prominent spike at the telltale 557.7 nm wavelength, while Mastcam-Z captured the enchanting green lights sweeping across the Martian sky. Unlike Earth, where auroras are confined to specific locations, Mars displayed a breathtaking full-atmosphere light show!

A New Era for Space Exploration!

Katie Stack Morgan, the acting project scientist for the rover, noted, "Perseverance's observations of the visible-light aurora confirm a new avenue for studying these phenomena, which complements what we can gather through our orbiters." This incredible find was published in the esteemed journal, Science Advances, underscoring a significant leap in our understanding of Mars and its atmospheric wonders.