Curiosity Rover Captures Rare Night-Time View of Mars, Illuminating Red Planet's Secrets

• NASA's Curiosity rover used LED lights on its robotic arm to capture a rare nighttime image of Mars on December 6, 2025.
• The image was taken during the 4,740th Martian day (sol) of the mission, a rare occurrence as rovers typically rely on sunlight for photography.
• The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera's LEDs illuminated the ground, allowing the Mastcam on the rover's 'head' to photograph it.
• Scientists revived the nighttime imaging technique to study the unusually smooth walls of a drill hole in a rock target named "Nevado Sajama."
• The drill hole was made in a region with unique "boxwork" geological formations, resembling giant spiderwebs, making the area scientifically intriguing.