Curiosity Rover Marks 5,000th Sol on Mars With Panorama From 'Chocolatal' Ridge
NASA's Curiosity rover has marked 5,000 sols on Mars, commemorating the milestone with a stunning panorama from "Chocolatal." The rover's navigation cameras recorded the Martian terrain on August 30, 2026, at 9:56 A.M. and again on September 2 at 5:39 P.M., combining the images with added color for artistic flair. In the images, Curiosity's UHF antenna and Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) are visible, along with wheel tracks in Gale Crater. Currently, it is investigating the lower slopes of Mount Sharp, looking down toward the crater floor. Throughout its mission, Curiosity has captured images of various features, including those resembling footprints. The rover was constructed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is operated by Caltech, as part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program.
Key facts
- Curiosity marked 5,000 Martian days (sols) on Mars
- The panorama was taken from a sandy ridge named "Chocolatal"
- First image captured August 30, 2026, at 9:56 A.M. local Mars time on sol 5,000
- Second panorama captured September 2 at 5:39 P.M. on sol 5,003
- Blue represents the morning image and yellow the afternoon view in the combined scene
- Visible components include the can-shaped UHF antenna and the finned MMRTG nuclear power system
- Curiosity is exploring the lower foothills of Mount Sharp, about three miles (5 kilometers) high within Gale Crater
- A sol is roughly 40 minutes longer than an Earth day
Entities
Institutions
- NASA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Caltech
- NASA's Science Mission Directorate
- NASA's Mars Exploration Program
- SciTechDaily
- PetaPixel
Locations
- Mars
- Chocolatal
- Gale Crater
- Mount Sharp
- Pasadena
- California
- Washington
- Earth