The Perseverance rover has already traveled more than 36 kilometers, collected 26 samples, and braved the Martian dust. Then, it decided to take a break… for a selfie. On the 1,500th sol (Martian day) of its mission, Perseverance takes selfie on Mars using the WATSON camera, located at the end of its robotic arm. The image is a composite of 59 photos taken in an area nicknamed “Witch Hazel Hill,” on the edge of Jezero Crater.
But the photo didn’t go quite as planned—and that’s precisely what made it special.
A Surprise Guest in the Background
Curiously, right as the selfie was being taken, a dust devil appeared in the background—an unexpected twist that made the image even more memorable. NASA’s team later identified the phenomenon about 5 kilometers north of the rover, in a region called Neretva Vallis.
One Shot, 62 Moves, and a Hole in the Rock
To create the image, the selfie required 62 precise movements of the robotic arm, capturing the scene in parts. Later, these 59 images were assembled on Earth to form the final portrait. In one version, Perseverance looks at the camera; in another, it stares at the ground.
The team recently drilled a hole called “Bell Island” right in front of the rover. They have already abraded and analyzed 37 rocks and blocks, including this one.
The rover has collected 26 rock core samples so far and sealed 25 of them for potential return to Earth in the future.
Dusty, But Fully Operational
The selfie also served a technical purpose. It allowed engineers to assess the rover’s condition, the level of dust on its instruments, and the overall integrity of its systems.
“After 1,500 sols, we might be a little dusty, but our beauty runs deeper than the surface,” joked Art Thompson, project manager at JPL. “All systems are operating nominally, and the data is flowing strong.”
Meanwhile, Perseverance continues its journey along the western edge of the crater, in a region known as “Krokodillen”—and there’s still plenty of Martian ground ahead.
Watch Out, WALL·E
In 2008, Pixar moved us with a little robot cleaning up Earth. Today, we have a real robot—on another planet—living that reality.
Perseverance may not dance to “Hello, Dolly!”, but it certainly has enough charm to compete for the lead role in a WALL·E sequel. And let’s be honest: Perseverance takes selfie on Mars with a dust devil in the background? Not even Pixar could write a plot that good.
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