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| Curiosity’s mysterious “combat tripod” on Mars. The bizarre object appeared in just one frame. |
A bizarre object that looks like a tripod from H.G. Wells' science fiction classic has sparked viral speculation, but scientists say the reality is far less extraordinary.
NASA's Curiosity rover captured an image on Mars that has set social media ablaze with speculation about alien machinery on the Red Planet. The photograph, taken in Gale Crater, appears to show a dark, tripod-like structure standing on the Martian surface – eerily reminiscent of the alien war machines from H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds.
The image, captured on August 20, 2023, by the rover's right navigation camera, shows what many have described as a tiny version of the iconic Martian invaders from the 1898 science fiction novel. However, the reality behind this mysterious object is far less sensational – and entirely terrestrial in origin.
What the experts say
According to NASA imaging specialists, the "tripod" is almost certainly an image artifact caused by a high-energy particle striking Curiosity's NavCam sensor. These cosmic ray hits are relatively common on Mars, where the thin atmosphere and lack of a global magnetic field provide minimal protection from space radiation.
The most compelling evidence against this being an actual physical object on Mars comes from the timing of the images. The same scene was photographed just 13 and 25 seconds earlier, but the strange object does not appear in either of those frames. If something were physically standing on the Martian surface, it would likely have appeared in all three consecutive images.
"As one of the most active areas of Mars exploration, Gale Crater has been the site of numerous discoveries and photo opportunities"
How cosmic rays create illusions
The technology behind the rovers' cameras makes them susceptible to these artifacts. Curiosity and NASA's other rovers use cameras with CCD-type sensors that, when struck by high-energy particles from space, can leave behind bright or dark spots, streaks, or other unusual marks in captured images.
Mars is particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon because it lacks a global magnetic field and has an atmosphere that is only about 0.5% the mass of Earth's. This provides significantly less protection from particles arriving from space.
NASA imaging specialist Justin Maki noted back in 2014 that unusual bright spots caused by cosmic rays appeared in Curiosity's images almost every week. Dark artifacts are possible too – NASA previously documented a small black mark in video from the rover that was also attributed to a cosmic-ray hit on the camera sensor.
Embedded resource
Curiosity's raw image can be viewed directly on NASA's Mars exploration website: Mars Raw Images
The verdict
Without an official analysis from the Curiosity team, other camera or image-processing artifacts cannot be completely ruled out. However, the fact that the object appears in only one of several consecutive frames is strong evidence that it originated inside the imaging system rather than physically existing on the Martian landscape.
Related story: NASA spots a bizarre jellyfish floating on Mars – here's what we know
Looking ahead
While this particular "tripod" has a mundane explanation, the Curiosity rover continues to make genuine discoveries on Mars, including evidence of ancient water flows, organic molecules, and seasonal methane variations. The rover has been exploring Gale Crater since its landing in 2012, providing invaluable data about Mars' climate, geology, and potential for past habitability.
As NASA prepares for future missions to Mars, including the upcoming Mars Sample Return campaign, these image artifacts serve as a reminder of the challenges of operating robotic explorers in deep space. Despite occasional cosmic-ray "tripods," Curiosity continues to deliver groundbreaking science from the Red Planet.
For more updates on NASA's Mars exploration missions, follow the official NASA Mars website for the latest images and discoveries from the Red Planet.
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| The mysterious “object” does not appear in images taken just seconds before the viral photo. |