NASA's Curiosity rover captures 360-degree panorama of Mars

Where are we again?

New 360-degree images of Mars captured by NASA's Curiosity rover look more like the Southwestern U.S. than the surface of another planet.

The images captured on Aug. 5, 2016, show eroded mesas and buttes, which are capped with rock that is resistant to wind erosion, according to a statement from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

NASA's Curiosity rover tweeted a GIF of the view on Friday. "Join me on #Mars amid Murray Buttes," the rover said on Twitter.

The Curiosity rover landed on the red planet four years ago and is currently examining younger layers of the planet’s surface as it climbs Mount Sharp, according to NASA.

“A key goal is to learn how freshwater lake conditions, which would have been favorable for microbes billions of years ago if Mars has ever had life, evolved into harsher, arid conditions much less suited to supporting life,” NASA said in a statement.

You can also view the 360-degree panorama on YouTube. 

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