Perseverance Rover Captures Occultation of Earth by Phobos

• The Perseverance rover successfully captured images of the Martian moon Phobos passing in front of Earth.
• This "occultation" event occurred on July 2nd (Sol 1907) and lasted approximately 10 seconds.
• Observations of these events help researchers refine orbital models of Martian moons.

The Event

• The rover’s Mastcam-Z imager documented the transit at Martian dusk.
• In the images, Earth appeared as a single-pixel, -2 magnitude star.
• The event was a planned observation requiring precise timing, as Earth is only visible from Mars within 36-37 degrees of the Sun.

Scientific Significance and Context

• Phobos is an oblong moon, roughly 27 kilometers in diameter, that orbits Mars every 7.5 hours.
• Due to its high orbital speed, Phobos rises in the west and sets in the east, making it visible moving across the sky in real-time.
• Researchers use transit and occultation data to track how the orbits of Martian moons evolve over time.
• Phobos is currently on a collision course with Mars, expected to impact the planet in 20-50 million years.

Future Missions

• Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA): Plans the Martian Moon Explorer (MMX) mission, potentially launching in late 2026.
• Roscosmos: Developing the Mars-Grunt 'Boomerang' mission, intended for launch by 2030.
• November 10th, 2084: An upcoming celestial alignment where Phobos will transit the Sun and occult the Earth as viewed from the Martian surface.