NASA's
Phoenix Mars Lander catches sunrise on the red planet on the morning of Aug.
25, 2008.
The
sun did not set for much of Phoenix's mission during the peak of Martian summer
above the Martian arctic circle. However, that period ended on the 86th Martian
day after Phoenix's landing when the sun fully set behind a slight rise to the
north for half an hour.
This
image was taken at 51 minutes past midnight local time on Mars, during a slow
sunrise that followed a brief 75 minute night. Light in the sky appears to
scatter off atmospheric dust particles and ice crystals.
Phoenix
will continue its examination of Mars through September, after getting a
mission extension beyond its 90-sol (Martian day) duration.
— University of Arizona and SPACE.com
Staff
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University
of Arizona/Texas A&M University
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