Perseverance Rover Captures 1.2-Mile-High Dust Devil in Action on Mars
On August 30th, 2023, during its 899th Martian day (sol 899) of the mission, NASA's Perseverance rover made an intriguing discovery as it explored the Jezero Crater on Mars. It captured images of a dust devil, a common phenomenon on the Martian surface.
These images were obtained using one of the rover's Navigation Cameras (NavCams) and were compiled into a video sequence composed of 21 frames, taken at four-second intervals and sped up by a factor of 20.
Dust devils on Mars are similar to the small, short-lived whirlwinds seen on Earth. They form when pockets of hot air near the Martian surface rise rapidly through the cooler air above. The study of these dust devils provides valuable insights into Mars' atmosphere and aids in the improvement of Martian weather models.
The parti...