actually I remembering specifically seeing bright specks of light when Curiosity was moving because the light is shining directly and is very bright
So I got a theory, besides the usual mulfunctions of the camera or light shining differently. Could it be a dust bowl ionization giving off light?
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2005/14jul_dustdevils/ Dust devils on Mars are electrified and could potentially be emitting light as well at night.