NASA's Psyche spacecraft captures rare crescent view of Mars
NASA's Psyche spacecraft just caught a rare, crescent-shaped glimpse of Mars as it zipped past the planet on May 15.
Flying just 4,609km above the surface, Psyche used Mars's gravity to pick up speed and adjust its route toward its main target, Asteroid 16 Psyche.
The unique angle let sunlight highlight the edge of the planet for some pretty striking photos.
Psyche heading to asteroid 16 Psyche
During the flyby, Psyche captured thousands of detailed images showing off Mars's atmosphere and features like the Huygens double-ring crater and southern highlands.
Thanks to this gravity assist, the spacecraft is now moving 1610km/h faster and is officially on its way to Asteroid 16 Psyche in the asteroid belt.
It's set to arrive in summer 2029 for a two-year mission exploring this metal-rich world, helping scientists learn more about how planets like ours are built.