The first pictures and spectra of Mars were taken by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.
The telescope is a product of an international partnership with the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
One of the brightest objects in the night sky, both in terms of visible light that can be seen by human eyes and infrared light that Webb is made to detect is the Red Planet.
With its infrared sensitivity, the telescope offers a distinctive perspective on our neighbouring planet that complements information gathered by orbiters, rovers, and other telescopes.
View of Mars's visible disc is provided by Webb's special observation station at the sun-Earth Lagrange point 2 (L2).
Webb can record spectra and images with the spectral resolution required to investigate short-lived phenomena like dust storms, weather patterns, seasonal changes.
Without appropriate observation methods, Webb's equipment are so sensitive that the intense infrared light from Mars blinds users, a condition known as "detector saturation."
By employing very brief exposures, detecting only a portion of the light that reached the detectors, astronomers were able to compensate for Mars' extraordinary brightness.
Some of the planet's light that is emitted as it travels through Mars' atmosphere is absorbed by carbon dioxide molecules.
The Mars team will later use these images and spectroscopic data to investigate regional variations on the planet and look for trace gases like methane and hydrogen chloride.