Mars is well-known for being a dry and rocky planet, and these two new photos from NASA's Curiosity rover remind just how true that is. The Solar System is home to multiple worlds. Saturn stands out for its iconic rings, Uranus is the only planet that spins on its side, and Jupiter is a massive gas giant with storms multiple times the size of what we experience on Earth. While it may just be a tiny speck in the known universe, these planets give the Solar System a unique identity compared to everything else in space.

Another planet contributing to that is Mars. The fourth planet from the Sun and one of the closest to Earth, Mars has captivated scientists and astronomers more than any of its siblings. Why? More than anything, Mars is one of the few destinations in the Solar System that could be a home for future humans. It has an atmosphere, was likely once home to lots of flowing water, and may have even had ancient life billions of years ago.

Related: Mars Rover Shares Photo Of Strange, Yellow Surface On The Planet

This deep fascination with Mars has resulted in an abundance of research on the planet — such as sending rovers to explore its alien surface. One such rover is Curiosity. Curiosity has been traversing Mars since 2012 and uncovering multiple secrets since then. It's found evidence of ancient liquid water, detected organic carbon in the planet's rocks, and captured hundreds of thousands of photos all along the way. Curiosity uploaded a new batch of pictures on December 7, two of which are featured here. The first photo (seen above) showcases a stunning landscape shot of Mars. Off in the distance are large sand dunes and an eerie view of the Martian sky. Towards the left of the image is a fascinating rock formation. Not only does it appear quite large, but Curiosity also captures a lot of its fine details. The photo picks up the rock's varying colors, rough texture, and intricate lines all over it.

A Closer Image Reveals Even More Fine Details

Photo of large Martian rock, captured by the Curiosity rover in December 2021
Photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

But it gets even better. The second picture shows that same rock formation at a much closer angle — thus offering an even more detailed look at its unique appearance. This reveals countless lines/ridges across the rock's entire surface, likely a result of Mars' winds and sandstorms. Even in these black-and-white photos, Curiosity still manages to capture the harsh beauty of this scene. This is a rock formation that's likely been on Mars for millions (if not billions) of years. It's not something most humans will ever be able to see with their own eyes, but thanks to Curiosity, it's now on full display for everyone.

That's really what makes these Mars photos so amazing. There may come a day where humans regularly travel to and live on Mars. If that does ever happen, it won't be for a very long time. Until then, robots like Curiosity are the next best thing. They roam around Mars, constantly take pictures of what they see, and share them with everyone on Earth. From aiding scientists to giving people cool images to share on Twitter, that's nothing short of impressive.

Next: Watch NASA's Helicopter Fly Around Mars In This Incredible New Video

Source: NASA (1), (2)