Green-line aurora detection attempts from the surface of Mars

Mars is known to host a variety of auroral processes despite the planet’s tenuous atmosphere and lack of a global magnetic field. The first detection of visible-wavelength aurora at 557.7 nm was made in 2024 by the SuperCam and Mastcam-Z instruments on the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, which represented the first observation of aurora from any planetary surface other than Earth, the first detection of visible-wavelength aurora at Mars, and demonstrates that auroral forecasting at Mars is possible. During events with higher particle precipitation, or under less dusty atmospheric conditions, green aurorae will be visible to future astronauts.
Here we present the results of all detection attempts made to date using the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. We describe selected solar storms as they were forecasted, and compare with orbital particle data leading up to and during each event.