NASA has released a stunning 360-degree image of the surface of Mars, letting you feel like you're standing on the surface of the red planet.

The vista was captured by the Curiosity rover on 5 August, and shows a flat desert-like foreground with hills and jagged mountains beyond.

You can click and drag on the video to pan around, to see Mars as the rover sees it.

The panorama looks similar to a desert scene here on Earth, and could almost be a snapshot of somewhere in southwestern US.

Image: Mountains in the distance look similar to those in the southwestern US

The image shows the geographical layer known as the Murray formation, formed from lakebed mud deposits.


NASA says the dark, elevated flatlands to the left of Curiosity's robotic arm are about 15m (50ft) high, and stand about 90m from the rover's position.

Curiosity has been on the surface of Mars for four years exploring and studying the surface of the planet to find out more about its mysterious past.

Image: A shadow can be seen of the rover, which has been on the surface of Mars for four years

The planet once had freshwater lakes, but has evolved into a harsh dry climate today.

Scientists want to know how such a dramatic transformation happened.

Curiosity was launched on 26 November 2011 and landed on Mars on 6 August 2012.

Another spacecraft designed to analyse the atmosphere of Mars for signs of life is due to land in October.

It will touch down on a flat region of the planet near the equator, called the Meridiani Planum.

This is where NASA's Opportunity rover landed in 2004.