Curiosity's Dawn Photo of Mars's Wind-Carved Yardangs

NASA's Curiosity rover captured a panorama on Aug. 11, 2026 — the 4,982nd Martian day, or sol, of its mission — of sunrise lighting distant, wind-carved features called yardangs. In the shoulder of Mount Sharp where the rover is climbing, the stack of distinct layers ends with the yardang layer. Scientists aren't entirely sure how that layer formed; one theory is that it is a pile of volcanic ash, similar to what is seen along the Red Planet's equator.