NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures Stunning Solar Eclipse on Mars
This rare event was recorded using Perseverance's Left Mastcam-Z camera, providing a striking view of Phobos' irregular, asteroid-like shape against the sun’s bright backdrop.
NASA's Perseverance rover recently captured a unique Martian solar eclipse, featuring the lumpy, potato-like moon Phobos as it partially obscured the sun’s disk on September 30. This was reported by Space.com. This rare event was recorded using Perseverance's Left Mastcam-Z camera, providing a striking view of Phobos' irregular, asteroid-like shape against the sun’s bright backdrop.
Phobos, the larger of Mars’ two moons, is only about 17 miles long and orbits at an unusually close distance of 3,700 miles from the planet — far closer than the Earth’s moon. Its close proximity results in a rapid orbit, allowing Phobos to circle Mars three times in just one Martian day. While Phobos resembles an asteroid in appearance, its almost perfect orbit has led scientists to believe it wasn’t captured but likely formed from debris left over from Mars’ formation or a massive impact.
This isn’t Perseverance’s first eclipse photo; past rovers have also documented Phobos’ journey across the sun, showcasing rovers’ unexpected passion for eclipse-chasing on the Red Planet.