2026-01-04
Time-Lapse Movies of Dust and Sand on the Mastcam-Z Calibration Targets
Posted by Tasha Coelho and Jim Bell, 4 January 2026
The Mastcam-Z calibration targets aboard the Perseverance rover are among the most frequently photographed objects on Mars. Mastcam-Z routinely captures multispectral images of these targets after each observation to ensure accurate spectral analysis. The targets’ known colors and reflectance properties provide stable reference points for correcting raw images for atmospheric effects, dust accumulation, and camera artifacts.
Beyond their uses in calibrating multispectral images, the value in routinely taking images of the calibration targets can be elucidated by examing timelapse photos of the targets over the course of the mission, revealing the characteristics of dust accumulation. The timelapse featured here in Figure 1, for example, is composed of 508 images from the zcam03014 imaging sequences captured using the L0 visible filter on the left Mastcam-Z camera. It spans from Sol 56 to Sol 1542 (approximately 1,527 Earth days or ~4.2 Earth years) and is compressed into a 51-second-long video running at 10 fps (0.1 seconds per frame).
The first and last images from that timelapse video are featured in Figure 2 below. Dust accumulation is observed around the 8 magnets, which are designed to keep the calibration target rings clear of dust.
Mars is well known for episodic dust deposition events capable of coating exposed rover hardware. For instance, the Opportunity rover ended its operational lifespan when its solar panels became too heavily covered in dust during the 2018 Global Dust Storm on Mars. Conversely, Mars experiences occasional “cleaning events,” during which winds sweep away some of the accumulated dust from rover surfaces.
Comparisons of calibration target images from different sols reveal the dynamic Martian environment and emphasize the critical need for consistent calibration!
References & further reading:
3-D Print Your Own Mastcam-Z Cal Targets!