: NASAs Ingenuity helicopter captures Martian sunset #IndiaNEWS #Education Washington, March 11 (IANS) NASAs Ingenuity Mars helicopter captured a shot of a sunset on the Red Planet, during its 45th

NASAs Ingenuity helicopter captures Martian sunset #IndiaNEWS #Education
Washington, March 11 (IANS) NASAs Ingenuity Mars helicopter captured a shot of a sunset on the Red Planet, during its 45th flight.
The little choppers high-resolution colour camera captured the Sun on February 22, Space.com reported.
The image shows the sun hanging slightly above the horizon of hilltops in the distance, caught in the process of setting on Ingenuitys 714th Martian day, or sol.
The rays shining across the photograph help illuminate the rolling alien landscape of sand and rocks inside Jezero Crater.
Ingenuity helicopter landed with NASAs Perseverance rover on the floor of Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021. It became the first rotorcraft ever to make powered flight beyond Earth.
Weighing just 1.8 kilograms, it has proved that aerial exploration is possible on Mars despite the planets thin atmosphere.
It was originally tasked with only a few test flights to prove its pioneering technology, but it has exceeded NASAs expectations.
Ingenuity has now flown a total of 46 times, with an accumulated distance of 10.1 km, Space.com reported. Flights 45 and 46 occurred just three days apart, on February 22 and 25.
Ingenuitys high-resolution colour camera is angled 22 degrees below the horizon. As a result, images relayed back to NASA are primarily focused at the ground, searching for interesting geological features and potential obstacles ahead.
Occasionally, however, it captures a sliver of Martian sky, giving a whole new perspective on the Red Planet.
Recently, NASAs Curiosity rover captured first-ever sun rays on Mars.
The rays were imaged as the Sun descended over the horizon on February 2, with rays of light illuminated a bank of clouds.
These are also known as crepuscular rays, from the Latin word for twilight.
It was the first time sun rays have been so clearly viewed on Mars, according to NASA.
IANS
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