NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover recently surveyed a striking boxwork region, snapping a detailed panorama with its Mastcam instrument on September 26, 2025—the 4,671st Martian day, or sol, of the mission.
Understanding Boxwork Formations
These boxwork structures feature low ridges separated by hollows. Scientists believe they formed billions of years ago as water seeped through cracks in the rock. Minerals deposited in those cracks eventually hardened. Over time, windblown sand eroded the surrounding softer material, exposing the durable ridges.
Capture and Processing Details
The panorama combines 179 individual images, stitched together after transmission to Earth. This natural-color view replicates how the scene would look to the human eye on Mars.
For more on the Curiosity mission, visit science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity.
