NASA's Curiosity rover has entered the 39th Martian year, which began with the vernal equinox in late September. The mission currently tracks seasonal changes through solar longitude, with each season spanning 90 degrees of the planet's 360-degree orbit. Gale Crater, where the rover is located, has now entered the autumn season.
The rover recently concluded a drilling campaign at the Basque Lakes region. The team performed an additional gas chromatograph and mass spectrometry experiment on drill tailings. Following these activities, the mission team plans to move the rover toward the Chiu Chiu region to investigate crystal formations observed previously.
Atmospheric observations are a primary focus during the current autumn season. Curiosity captured images of high-altitude twilight clouds using its Right Navigation Camera on October 7, 2026, during Sol 5037. These clouds are illuminated by the low sun angle at sunset, making them visible to the rover's onboard sensors.
