Check Out This Striking Panorama Taken From the Surface of Mars

Selection from the Mars panorama captured by NASA's Curiosity rover. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

On July 20, 1976, the Viking 1 lander took the first photograph ever from the surface of Mars. The image is impressive but still fairly limited: it showcases only a small, black-and-white snapshot of the planet’s dusty, rock-laden ground. Now, almost 50 years later, NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured one of the most breathtaking panoramas of Mars, highlighting topographical details like never before.

Originally captured on February 7, 2025, the picture reveals Curiosity’s view from Mount Sharp, looking down at the floor of Gale Crater. Even though it was taken 140 million miles away from Earth, the scene is surprisingly familiar, reminiscent of the desert vistas found in the southwestern United States. The landscape is dramatic, desolate, and yet magical, with what appears to be a rugged mountain range punctuating the arid sky ahead. In reality, however, these mountains are actually the rim of Gale Crater, which was created by an ancient asteroid impact billions of years ago.

NASA recently unveiled the panorama on X (formerly Twitter) with a 30-second video, gently sweeping across the entire landscape. Though the image itself is impressive, the video offers an opportunity to truly study the crater and its singular characteristics. To enhance this sense of immersion, NASA also adjusted the panorama’s color to “match the lighting conditions as the human eye would see them on Earth,” according to a statement.

“Enjoy this recent look, courtesy of Curiosity, at the view from the slopes of Mt. Sharp, with the distant rim of Gale Crater on the horizon,” NASA wrote in the post. “You can imagine the quiet, thin wind, or maybe even the waves of a long-gone lake lapping an ancient shore.”

Mount Sharp has long been studied by NASA, given that it contains several distinct layers, all of which were formed in different eras of Martian history. The area, too, is rich in salty minerals, most likely left behind as the planet’s water steadily dried up.

“By studying each layer, the rover’s team can learn more about how the Martian environment changed over time from a warmer, wetter, and more Earthlike world to the freezing desert it is today,” NASA explains.

After its stop at Mount Sharp and Gale Crater, Curiosity has since traveled somewhere else, namely a “boxwork” region, which scientists believe may have formed when minerals from Mars’ last trickles of water seeped and hardened into the rock below. Previously, Curiosity was slated to arrive at the area in late fall.

“We’re actually at the edge of it now,” Andrew Good, a NASA spokesperson, told Mashable.

To learn more about the Curiosity rover and its upcoming destinations, visit the NASA website.

NASA’s Curiosity rover recently captured a striking panorama of Mars, showcasing the planet’s unique landscape with impressive detail.

The full panorama of Mars captured by NASA's Curosity rover. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

30 seconds on Mars. Enjoy this recent look, courtesy of @MarsCuriosity, at the view from the slopes of Mt. Sharp, with the distant rim of Gale Crater on the horizon. You can imagine the quiet, thin wind, or maybe even the waves of a long-gone lake lapping an ancient shore. pic.twitter.com/XEj3ZKgqc7

— NASA Mars (@NASAMars) May 20, 2025