The MRO sends back photos of Mars every month, but this month's dispatch of 1,035 photos is unique. It's especially hefty because every 26 months, the geometry of Earth and Mars offer a sweet spot for data return, director of the Planetary Image Research Laboratory, Alfred McEwen told Popular Science: During opposition — as Mars and the Sun are on opposite sides of Earth's sky, this year on May 22 — we get unobstructed communications between Mars and Earth for a few weeks.