A couple of months ago, the Perseverance rover stationed on Mars captured a rare astronomical event: the potato-shaped moon of Phobos passing in front of the Sun, creating what it known as a Martian eclipse.
From its position in the Jezero Crater, the rover managed to capture 68 images of the transit on February 8th, providing scientists with a unique perspective on this celestial occurrence.
The images taken by the rover’s left Mastcam-Z camera, typically used for capturing panoramic views of the Martian landscape, revealed striking visuals reminiscent of classic stick-on googly eyes, as noted by a science writer.
NASA wrote, “Each time these eclipses are observed, they allow scientists to measure subtle shifts in Phobos’ orbit over time.”
This peculiar resemblance adds a touch of whimsy to the scientific exploration of Mars and its moons.
Beyond their aesthetic appeal, these images hold significant scientific value. Researchers will analyze the data captured during the transit to gain insights into Phobos, the larger of Mars’ two moons, named after the ancient Greek god of fear. Phobos is currently on a trajectory that brings it closer to Mars at a rate of six feet (1.8 meters) every hundred years. This gradual descent toward the Red Planet raises intriguing questions about Phobos’ fate.
According to current projections, Phobos is expected to meet one of two possible outcomes in the future. It may either collide with Mars in approximately 50 million years, potentially altering the Martian landscape and influencing its geological processes.
Alternatively, the gravitational forces exerted by Mars could cause Phobos to disintegrate, forming a ring around the planet – a fate suggestive of Saturn’s iconic rings.
“The result arguably resembles more googly eye than awe-inspiring [sic] cosmic calendar occurrence,” wrote Andrew Paul at Pop-Sci.
The recording of this Martian eclipse marks yet another milestone in humanity’s exploration of the Red Planet. It joins a series of previous observations and discoveries made by the Perseverance rover since its arrival on Mars, each contributing to our ever-expanding knowledge of this enigmatic world.
Notably, this is not the first time that the Perseverance rover has captured such an event. In April of 2022, the rover recorded a 40-second video of a similar eclipse, demonstrating the capabilities of its instruments and the scientific value of its observations.
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