2023-12-27 05:25:59
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How do we see the eclipse from the surface of Mars?
Every now and then, there comes a reminder that our planet is truly extraordinary in many wonderful ways. These reminders don’t have to come from far away, but can be as close as our next door neighbor.
Like Earth, Mars experiences moments when its moons cast shadows on its surface. But the “eclipse” on Mars, captured by NASA’s rovers, is completely different from the one we see on Earth.
This video shows Mars’ two largest moons, including Phobos, passing directly in front of the sun, in an eclipse photographed by NASA’s Mars rover.
These events are not eclipses as we witness them, but rather transits that do not completely block the sunlight. When Mars’ small moons pass between the Sun and observers on Mars, they do not completely cover the star as the Moon does from here on Earth.
Of the two moons, Phobos has the larger silhouette, blocking up to 40% of sunlight, even when swallowed whole by the glare. Deimos, on the other hand, is farther away and much smaller, so it blocks much less light.
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