NASA’s Curiosity marks 5,000 Martian days with a two-time panorama
NASA’s Curiosity rover marked its 5,000th Martian day with a panorama from the ridge nicknamed Chocolatal, in Gale Crater. NASA’s images combine morning and afternoon views, coloured blue and yellow as an artistic interpretation; the milestone highlights a mission still returning views from the lower slopes of Mount Sharp.
Bottom line — Curiosity’s panorama records 5,000 sols of exploration, with the rover’s tracks stretching across Gale Crater.
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NASA says the first image was taken on 30 August 2026, Curiosity’s 5,000th sol; the second followed on 2 September, its 5,003rd.
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The rover’s black-and-white navigation-camera images were combined on Earth, with blue representing morning and yellow afternoon.
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The panorama looks downhill towards Gale Crater’s floor; the distant rim is faintly visible on the horizon, according to NASA.
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NASA’s panorama shows Curiosity’s UHF antenna, which sends data to orbiting spacecraft, and its radioisotope generator, which supplies power.
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NASA places Curiosity in Mount Sharp’s lower foothills. Spacechannel.eu instead reports work near Sheep Knob and Buckeye Pass, investigating sulfate-bearing terrain and evidence of ancient water flow.
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Spacechannel.eu says the 5,000 sols amount to approximately 14 Earth years.