Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2025 March 23 [2]Rocks and brown sand occupy this horizontally compressed image of Mars. At the top is a light colored peak. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Ancient Ogunquit Beach on Mars Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]JPL-Caltech, [5]MSSS, [6]Curiosity Rover Explanation: This was once a beach -- on ancient [7]Mars. The [8]featured 360-degree panorama, [9]horizontally compressed, was taken in 2017 by the robotic [10]Curiosity rover that explored the [11]red planet. Named Ogunquit Beach after its [12]terrestrial counterpart, evidence shows that at times long ago the area was underwater, while at other times it was at the edge of an [13]ancient lake. The light peak in the central background is the top of [14]Mount Sharp, the central feature in [15]Gale Crater where Curiosity explored. Portions of the [16]dark sands in the foreground were [17]scooped up for analysis. The light colored [18]bedrock is composed of [19]sediment that likely settled at the bottom of the now-dried lakebed. The [20]featured panorama ([21]interactive version here) was created from over 100 images and seemingly signed by the rover on the lower left. Tomorrow's picture: moon goes dark __________________________________________________________________ [22]< | [23]Archive | [24]Submissions | [25]Index | [26]Search | [27]Calendar | [28]RSS | [29]Education | [30]About APOD | [31]Discuss | [32]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell ([36]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [37]Specific rights apply. [38]NASA Web Privacy, [39]Accessibility, [40]Notices; A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC, [44]NASA Science Activation & [45]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2503/OgunquitBeach_Curiosity_8776.jpg 3. https://www.nasa.gov/ 4. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ 5. http://www.msss.com/ 6. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity/ 7. https://science.nasa.gov/mars/ 8. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11241 9. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/62/f1/fe/62f1fe59e5e8ed26d724f701adc5be0b.jpg 10. https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission/rover/ 11. https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/goddard/nasa-new-study-on-why-mars-is-red-supports-potentially-habitable-past/ 12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NUOfTyFumg 13. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-curiosity-rover-team-confirms-ancient-lakes-on-mars/ 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120827.html 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110729.html 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160119.html 17. http://redplanet.asu.edu/?p=23396 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap040127.html 19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sediment 20. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11241 21. https://youtu.be/V3qr9AqZyEI 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250322.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 28. https://apod.com/feed.rss 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250323 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250324.html 33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 39. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 40. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 42. https://www.nasa.gov/ 43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 45. http://www.mtu.edu/