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<!doctype html> <html> <head> <title>Astronomy Picture of the Day </title>  <meta name="orgcode" content="661"> <meta name="rno" content="amber.n.straughn"> <meta name="content-owner" content="Jerry.T.Bonnell.1"> <meta name="webmaster" content="Stephen.F.Fantasia.1"> <meta name="description" content="A different astronomy and space science related image is featured each day, along with a brief explanation.">  <meta name=viewport content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="keywords" content="Mars, Curiosity, Gale Crater">  <script id="_fed_an_ua_tag" src="//dap.digitalgov.gov/Universal-Federated-Analytics-Min.js?agency=NASA"> </script> </head> <body BGCOLOR="#F4F4FF" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" vlink="#7F0F9F" alink="#FF0000"> <center> <h1> Astronomy Picture of the Day </h1> <a href="archivepix.html">Discover the cosmos!</a> Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2025 March 23 <a href="image/2503/OgunquitBeach_Curiosity_8776.jpg"> <IMG SRC="image/2503/OgunquitBeach_Curiosity_960.jpg" alt="Rocks and brown sand occupy this horizontally compressed image of Mars. At the top is a light colored peak. Please see the explanation for more detailed information." style="max-width:100%"></a> </center> <center> Ancient Ogunquit Beach on Mars Image Credit: <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>, <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">JPL-Caltech</a>, <a href="http://www.msss.com/">MSSS</a>, <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity/" >Curiosity Rover</a> </center> Explanation: This was once a beach -- on ancient <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mars/" >Mars</a>. The <a href="https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11241" >featured 360-degree panorama</a>, <a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/62/f1/fe/62f1fe59e5e8ed26d724f701adc5be0b.jpg" >horizontally compressed</a>, was taken in 2017 by the robotic <a href="https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission/rover/">Curiosity rover</a> that explored the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/goddard/nasa-new-study-on-why-mars-is-red-supports-potentially-habitable-past/" >red planet</a>. Named Ogunquit Beach after its <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NUOfTyFumg">terrestrial counterpart</a>, evidence shows that at times long ago the area was underwater, while at other times it was at the edge of an <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-curiosity-rover-team-confirms-ancient-lakes-on-mars/">ancient lake</a>. The light peak in the central background is the top of <a href="ap120827.html">Mount Sharp</a>, the central feature in <a href="ap110729.html">Gale Crater</a> where Curiosity explored. Portions of the <a href="ap160119.html">dark sands</a> in the foreground were <a href="http://redplanet.asu.edu/?p=23396">scooped up</a> for analysis. The light colored <a href="ap040127.html">bedrock</a> is composed of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sediment">sediment</a> that likely settled at the bottom of the now-dried lakebed. The <a href="https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11241" >featured</a> panorama (<a href="https://youtu.be/V3qr9AqZyEI">interactive version here</a>) was created from over 100 images and seemingly signed by the rover on the lower left. <center> Tomorrow's picture: moon goes dark <hr> <a href="ap250322.html"><</a> | <a href="archivepix.html">Archive</a> | <a href="lib/apsubmit2015.html">Submissions</a> | <a href="lib/aptree.html">Index</a> | <a href="https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search">Search</a> | <a href="calendar/allyears.html">Calendar</a> | <a href="https://apod.com/feed.rss">RSS</a> | <a href="lib/edlinks.html">Education</a> | <a href="lib/about_apod.html">About APOD</a> | <a href= "https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250323">Discuss</a> | <a href="ap250324.html">></a> <hr> Authors & editors: <a href="http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html">Robert Nemiroff</a> (<a href="http://www.phy.mtu.edu/">MTU</a>) & <a href="https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html" >Jerry Bonnell</a> (<a href="http://www.astro.umd.edu/">UMCP</a>) NASA Official: Amber Straughn <a href="lib/about_apod.html#srapply">Specific rights apply</a>. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html">NASA Web Privacy</a>, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/">Accessibility</a>, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/">Notices</a>; A service of: <a href="https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/">ASD</a> at <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> / <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/">GSFC</a>, <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/learners">NASA Science Activation</a> & <a href="http://www.mtu.edu/">Michigan Tech. U.</a> </center> </body> </html>