A Journey to the Depths of Ancient Mars?
NASA’s Perseverance rover has found a large field of unusual light-colored rocks in a region called “Lac de Charmes,” outside the western rim of Jezero crater. Most rocks on Mars are dark basalt, making these bright stones stand out.
NASA’s Perseverance rover has found a large field of unusual light-colored rocks in a region called “Lac de Charmes,” outside the western rim of Jezero crater. Most rocks on Mars are dark basalt, making these bright stones stand out. On August 30, 2026, the rover used its Right Mastcam-Z camera to capture images of the area.
Data shows many of these objects are igneous rocks known as gabbro, which typically form deep underground when magma cools slowly. To learn how these fragments reached the surface, the rover spent the last week studying a possible bedrock outcrop named “Idubi.” Initial images show this outcrop is a breccia, a type of rock made from angular fragments cemented together.
Breccias often form during violent events like asteroid impacts. Researchers believe past impacts may have dug up the light-colored blocks and brought them to the surface. Perseverance continues to use its arm-mounted tools to investigate the area.
Original publication: 6 October 2026 06:18
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