The picture was taken by Curiosity’s Mastcam about an hour after the sun rose, at 8:30 am local Mars time, showing the rover’s view of Mount Sharp’s north‑western horizon in August.

Planetary scientist Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California explained that the bright, craggy peaks are a rock layer that once was wind‑blown sediment—perhaps sand or volcanic ash—that later hardened into rock.

The Curiosity project scientist added that after the sediment solidified, millions of years of wind carved the rock into the streamlined ridges known as yardangs.

The yardang layer is estimated to be about 3 billion years old, the same era as most of Mount Sharp, and it stretches roughly 16 kilometres across the mountain’s north‑western reaches.

Dr Vasavada noted that the yardang layer does not fit the continuous stack of layers that make up Mount Sharp; it sits above an unconformity, a gap in the geological record where earlier layers were eroded before new ones were deposited.

Scientists hope that Curiosity will reach the base of the yardangs in 2027, allowing its instruments to study the rocks up close and learn more about the ancient wind conditions and possible past habitability on Mars.

The dawn image not only offers a spectacular view but also highlights how wind has reshaped Mars over billions of years, turning soft sediment into the striking cliffs we see today.