NASA’s Psyche Spacecraft Captures Stunning Image of ‘Crescent Mars’ Ahead of Gravity Assist Flyby; See Rare Photo of Red Planet
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft has captured a striking unprocessed image of a crescent Mars while approaching the Red Planet for a gravity assist flyby on May 15, 2026. The image shows the night side of Mars with a glowing crescent formed by sunlight reflecting off the day side and passing through the planet’s atmosphere. Irregularities along the crescent are attributed to surface features, dust, and clouds. This rare view highlights the spacecraft’s journey as it uses Mars’ gravity to gain speed toward its primary target, the metal-rich asteroid Psyche. The mission team shared the image on May 13, 2026, generating significant interest among space enthusiasts. Further images and updates from the flyby are expected in the coming days. Satellites Add a New Layer to Global Poverty Data
Crescent of Mars Image Captured by NASA Psyche Spacecraft
This is not an eclipse, but an even more rare sight: a crescent Mars as seen by NASA’s #MissionToPsyche spacecraft.
The unprocessed image — taken by Psyche today — shows the night side of Mars as the spacecraft approaches the Red Planet for a flyby on May 15. The glowing… pic.twitter.com/MMxQfcXl5Z
— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) May 13, 2026
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 14, 2026 08:55 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
