{"id":521,"date":"2026-08-03T16:32:48","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:32:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=521"},"modified":"2026-08-03T16:32:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:32:48","slug":"nasas-curiosity-discovers-a-field-of-martian-polygons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/?p=521","title":{"rendered":"NASA\u2019s Curiosity Discovers a Field of Martian Polygons"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"p-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-row grid-container-block padding-0\">\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-3 desktop:padding-right-5 desktop:padding-left-3 padding-top-3\">\n<div class=\"publish-date meta-item grid-row flex-align-center border-bottom padding-y-2\"><time class=\"\">07\/29\/2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-9 desktop:padding-left-9 desktop:padding-right-3 desktop:padding-top-3 usa-article-content\">\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-module wp-block-smd-block-post-meta\">\n<div class=\"CustomFields hds-module\">\n<div class=\"CustomFields hds-media \">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-featured-file-list bg-spacesuit-white padding-x-2 tablet:padding-x-3 desktop:padding-x-4 padding-y-5 desktop:padding-y-6 hds-module align wp-block-nasa-blocks-file-list\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block padding-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-row width-full margin-bottom-4\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-22\">\n\t\t\t\t\tDownloads\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6\">\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col display-flex flex-align-center desktop:flex-justify-end\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-row hds-file-list-row\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail hds-file-list-thumbnail\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail-inner hds-file-list-thumbnail-inner hds-cover-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-details\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-name hds-file-list-name\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-22\">NASA\u2019s Curiosity Discovers a Field of Martian Polygons<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-list-date hds-file-list-date\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-file-list-filetype\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">PNG (305.97 MB)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-cta hds-file-list-download\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a aria-label=\"Download NASA\u2019s Curiosity Discovers a Field of Martian Polygons\" href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/content\/dam\/science\/psd\/photojournal\/pia\/pia26\/pia26729\/PIA26729.png\" target=\"_blank\" download><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-row hds-file-list-row\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail hds-file-list-thumbnail\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-thumbnail-inner hds-file-list-thumbnail-inner hds-cover-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-details\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-name hds-file-list-name\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-22\">PIA26729 Figure A<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta\">\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-list-date hds-file-list-date\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-meta-item hds-file-list-filetype\">\n<p class=\"p-sm\">PNG (3.37 MB)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-list-cta hds-file-list-download\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a aria-label=\"Download PIA26729 Figure A\" href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/content\/dam\/science\/psd\/photojournal\/pia\/pia26\/pia26729\/figures\/PIA26729_figA.png\" target=\"_blank\" download><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NASA\u2019s Curiosity Mars rover captured this 360-degree view of an expanse of terrain covered in surface features called polygons on June 19 and 20, 2026, the 4,930th and 4,931st Martian days, or sols, of the mission. The rover has found polygons several times in the past, but never so many in one place. Across the center of this image, the surface is covered by shapes ranging in size from roughly 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) in diameter. The features also surround and wrap around a sand-capped butte nicknamed \u201cMiraflores,\u201d seen at far right in the image.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/psd\/photojournal\/pia\/pia26\/pia26729\/figures\/PIA26729_figA.png?w=1468&amp;h=951&amp;fit=clip&amp;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\"><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Figure A<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Figure A is a crop from the bottom-center of the panorama highlighting the polygons and their honeycomb-like textures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Polygonal textures can form from a variety of conditions, including drying out of the surface (like in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/mars-rovers-mastcam-view-of-possible-mud-cracks\/\">mud cracks<\/a>), temperature cycles, compaction after being buried, or shrinkage of the sediment from loss of water or mineral changes. Scientists are measuring characteristics of these polygons to home in on which process formed them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This panorama was captured by Curiosity\u2019s Mast Camera, or Mastcam, as the rover continued its ascent of the foothills of Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain that it\u2019s been climbing since 2014.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The panorama is made up of 340 individual images that were sent to Earth and stitched together. The color has been adjusted to match lighting conditions as the human eye would see them on Earth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curiosity was built by NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA\u2019s Science Mission Directorate in Washington as part of NASA\u2019s Mars Exploration Program portfolio. Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego built and operates Mastcam.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To learn more about Curiosity, visit:<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/msl-curiosity\">science.nasa.gov\/mission\/msl-curiosity<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-topic-cards nasa-gb-align-full maxw-full width-full padding-y-6 padding-x-3 color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-topic-cards\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block-lg padding-x-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-row flex-align-center margin-bottom-3\">\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-8 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"label color-carbon-60 margin-bottom-2\">Keep Exploring<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"heading-36 line-height-sm\">Discover More Topics From Photojournal<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-gap-2 hds-topic-cards-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/search\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/latest\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/feedback\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"edit-post-link\"><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/nasas-curiosity-discovers-a-field-of-martian-polygons\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">NASA Science<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/photojournal\/nasas-curiosity-discovers-a-field-of-martian-polygons\/\">NASA Science<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Description NASA\u2019s Curiosity Mars rover captured this 360-degree view of an expanse of terrain covered in surface features called polygons on June 19 and 20, 2026, the 4,930th and 4,931st Martian days, or sols, of the mission. The rover has found polygons several times in the past, but never so many in one place. Across&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":266,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science-space-nasa-photos-visual-records"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=521"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":692,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/521\/revisions\/692"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}