On 9 October 2026, the Curiosity rover marked the beginning of a new Mars year, which is set at the vernal equinox of the northern hemisphere. The mission is using the change of season to track the evolution of the planet's atmosphere, with particular attention to the clouds forming in the sky above Gale crater.

The observation plan for sols 5036 to 5042, coordinated by Alex Innanen, an atmospheric scientist at York University, includes cloud tracking and meteorological measurements. Curiosity's cameras allow the formation, movement and dissipation of these clouds to be recorded, data that complement measurements of pressure, temperature and humidity in the Martian environment.

Tracking clouds is key to understanding the water and dust cycles on Mars, as well as to refining global atmospheric circulation models. Curiosity's long-term observations, now in its nineteenth Mars year, offer a unique time series that makes it possible to study how the Martian climate changes from one season to the next and from one year to the next.

The data gathered in this campaign will add to those obtained by other missions, such as the MAVEN orbiter and the Perseverance rover, to build a more complete picture of the Martian atmosphere. The information is also relevant for future crewed missions, which will depend on precise knowledge of the climate and atmospheric conditions at the surface.