This colorized image was captured by NASA’s Psyche spacecraft on May 3, 2026, from about 3 million miles (4.8 million km) away as it approached Mars for a gravity assist. Psyche will pass roughly 2,800 miles (4,500 km) above Mars on May 15, using the planet’s gravity to reshape its trajectory toward asteroid 16 Psyche. The glowing crescent is sunlight reflected from Mars’ dayside and scattered through its dusty atmosphere.
