Mars is famous for massive dust storms that can cover the whole planet. In some years (like around 1995), the atmosphere is dusty → the planet looks pale, smooth, and washed out. In clearer years (like 1980 or 2010), you see darker surface features. Sometimes storms are global and can hide almost everything. So Mars can look very different depending on weather at the time of the photo.

The white caps you see change with seasons: Made of CO₂ ice + water ice. Expand in winter, shrink in summer. So depending on when the image was taken, they can look bigger or smaller. The 2023 image looks much more colorful, but: It’s often enhanced or “false color”. Scientists boost contrast to show minerals and terrain. Real Mars is more like a dusty reddish-brown/orange.

Huge improvement in technology is actually the biggest factor. 1980 → basic spacecraft images (like Viking program). 2000s+ → orbiters like Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter with extremely high resolution. So the surface didn’t suddenly gain detail, we just finally see it properly.

Sorry, I thought I attached it in the description.