Update: it’s been debunked as a fake.
A newly released NASA video captured by the Perseverance rover has sparked awe and curiosity: the Martian night sky, far from being pitch black, glows with an eerie brightness. The footage, taken from Jezero Crater, shows a surprisingly luminous Martian landscape illuminated under what seems to be a perpetual twilight.
So what’s behind this otherworldly glow?
The key lies in Martian dust. Unlike Earth, Mars has a thin atmosphere—just about 1% the density of ours—but it’s filled with ultra-fine particles of iron-rich dust that stay suspended in the air. These particles scatter sunlight long after sunset, creating a lingering glow in the sky. It’s similar to Earth’s twilight effect, but stretched much longer and redder due to the planet’s fine particulate matter and lack of moisture.
Related: Mars can teach Earth how to store carbon
Another factor is sunlight scattering at high altitudes. Even though the Sun sets on Mars just as it does on Earth, light continues to scatter off the high-altitude dust, keeping the sky bright for hours. This is why astronauts may one day be able to navigate or work during the “night” without artificial lighting—at least in the early evening.
Interestingly, the brightness also helps with scientific observations. The enhanced visibility aids in tracking passing meteors, dust devils, and even detecting faint clouds in the Martian atmosphere.
So while Mars might seem like a lifeless desert, its night sky proves it’s still very much a planet in motion—with light, dust, and mystery dancing above its rusty sands.
Elon Musk is preparing SpaceX to head to Mars. Would you like to see nigh skies like this?
