In a groundbreaking discovery, NASA's Perseverance rover has spotted the first aurora on Mars that's visible to the human eye, a thrilling development for future astronauts eager for breathtaking views on the Red Planet.

Scientists from Europe and the U.S. revealed that this emerald-hued aurora in Mars' dusty atmosphere was triggered by a solar storm that occurred last year, allowing the team to plan a three-day window for capturing this rare celestial spectacle with the rover's cameras.

Unlike previous auroras detected only in ultraviolet light, this awe-inspiring phenomenon fell within the visible spectrum. It stemmed from a powerful solar flare in March 2024, followed by a coronal mass ejection—essentially a massive burst of solar plasma aimed directly at Mars.

This pioneering observation signifies a leap forward in our ability to predict Martian northern and southern lights, providing scientists crucial insights into space weather, according to Elise Wright Knutsen from the University of Oslo, whose findings were published in the journal Science Advances.

"While this event was somewhat muted by Martian dust, under clearer conditions or with heightened particle precipitation, future astronauts might witness spectacular light displays within their field of vision," the research team noted.

Remarkably, this marks the first reported aurora observed from the surface of a planet beyond Earth—previous sightings were all made from orbit.

Since its launch in 2020, Perseverance has been diligently exploring the Jezero Crater, a region once thought to be teeming with life, as it collected rock and dust samples destined for Earth. With its dry landscape believed to have once hosted a river delta, Jezero Crater could hold vital clues about ancient microbial life forms.