Color Properties at the Mars InSight Landing Site

The color properties observed at the InSight landing site by the lander cameras are spectral mixtures of two source materials: gray-black rocky material with chromaticity values of x = 0.32, y = 0.32 (standard deviations of sigma(x) = 0.02 and sigma(y) = 0.03) and yellowish-brown dust with chromaticity values of x = 0.42, y = 0.36 (standard deviations of sigma(x) = 0.02 and sigma(y) = 0.03). These results are consistent with published values from other Mars landed missions. The InSight measurements also include the first published value of the white point of Mars daylight, chromaticity of x = 0.35, y = 0.34 (standard deviations of sigma(x) = 0.01 and sigma(y) = 0.02), which is redder than earth daylight by delta x = 0.04 and delta y = 0.01. InSight measurements also show a small color difference (delta x = 0.02 and delta y = 0.01) between the near field terrain (within 20 m of the lander) and the far field area beyond. This color difference is believed to be caused by dust being blown off by near field terrain by the lander rockets during the landing event. The visual difference between these two regions is caused primarily by the brightness variation. Chromaticity measurements of the Martian sky also match previous missions with additional variability caused by differences in dust loading and the dynamic nature of the Martian atmosphere. Plain Language Summary Calibrated color images acquired at the InSight landing site show colors that fall into two broad categories, dark gray rocky material and yellowish-brown dust, consistent with previous Mars lander missions.

Automated summary

Color properties observed at the InSight landing site are a mixture of gray-black rocky material and yellowish-brown dust, consistent with previous Mars missions. The measurements also revealed the chromaticity of Mars daylight and a small color difference between near and far field areas, believed to be caused by dust blown off by the lander rockets during landing. The measurements of the Martian sky also match previous missions with additional variability due to dust loading and the dynamic nature of the atmosphere.