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Shadows brighten and darken with the dust storm

Shadows brighten and darken with the dust storm
Shadows brighten and darken with the dust storm Six images captured by Spirit of its Marsdial calibration target from sol 1994 to sol 2012 illustrate the effect that a regional dust storm had on lighting conditions in Gusev crater. On sol 1994, skies were quite clear, so the shadow of the Marsdial's gnomon was dark. But as dust filled the skies, sunlight dimmed at the same time that more light was scattered into shadowed areas, making the shadow considerably lighter and more diffuse. By sol 2012, conditions were improving, and the shadow darkening again. NASA / JPL-Caltech / Cornell / animation by fredk