NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures Solar Eclipse on Mars
Unlike the total eclipse on Earth, Phobos' small size meant that it only partially obscured the sun's disk, creating a mesmerizing spectacle for the Martian rover to witness.
NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars has documented a rare solar eclipse caused by the passage of the Martian moon Phobos in front of the sun.
The event, which occurred on February 8, was captured from the rover's vantage point in the Jezero Crater, where it's been diligently exploring the Martian terrain. Using its sophisticated cameras, Perseverance snapped over 65 images of Phobos as it traversed the sun.
Phobos, named after the Greek god of fear, cast its potato-shaped silhouette against the sun, providing scientists with a unique opportunity to study this enigmatic moon. Measuring just 17 miles in its longest dimension, Phobos orbits Mars at a mere 3,700 miles above its surface, making it the larger of Mars' two moons.
Unlike the total eclipse on Earth, Phobos' small size meant that it only partially obscured the sun's disk, creating a mesmerizing spectacle for the Martian rover to witness.
The imagery captured by Perseverance adds to a growing body of knowledge about the Martian moons and their influence on the Red Planet's dynamics. Scientists speculate that Phobos, which is gradually spiraling closer to Mars, may one day collide with the planet or disintegrate into a ring of debris.