Bruce Murray Space Image Library

Curiosity sol 783 sunset panorama containing Siding Spring

Curiosity sol 783 sunset panorama containing Siding Spring
Curiosity sol 783 sunset panorama containing Siding Spring Curiosity took the photos for this panorama just after sunset on sol 783, at 6:11 local time. The twilight sky is still bright thanks to lots of dust in the atmosphere. Near the extreme upper left corner of this panorama is a single bright pixel representing comet Siding Spring, which had just passed close by Mars a couple of hours earlier. (The comet is difficult to spot unless you enlarge the photo to its full resolution.) This photo was taken at about 21:10 UT on October 19; closest approach occurred at 18:27. NASA / JPL / MSSS / James Sorenson