Fri Nov 01 02:59:40 UTC 2024: ## Mars Rover Captures “Googly Eye” in the Sky as Moon Phobos Transits Sun
**Pasadena, CA** – NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured an incredible image of the Martian moon Phobos passing directly in front of the Sun, creating a unique “googly eye” effect in the Martian sky. The event, known as a transit, took place on September 30th, 2023, and was recorded by the rover’s Mastcam-Z instrument.
The potato-shaped Phobos, named after the Greek god of fear, is significantly smaller than Earth’s moon and orbits close to Mars. These transits occur frequently as Phobos’ orbit aligns with the Martian equator.
The image shows Phobos as a dark disc rapidly moving across the face of the Sun, while its shadow, called the antumbra, casts a distinct path across the Martian surface. This transit lasted only about 30 seconds, a testament to Phobos’ quick orbit around Mars.
This is not the first time a NASA rover has captured such an event. Curiosity captured a video in 2019 and Opportunity captured an image in 2004. Comparing these images allows scientists to study Phobos’ orbit and its gradual movement closer to Mars, eventually leading to a predicted collision in about 50 million years.
While the “googly eye” image is fascinating, Perseverance’s main mission is to explore Mars for signs of ancient microbial life, study the planet’s geology and climate, and prepare for future human exploration. The rover is currently collecting and storing Martian rock and regolith samples, which will be retrieved and analyzed on Earth in future missions.
This mission aligns with NASA’s broader Moon to Mars exploration program, which includes the Artemis missions to the Moon, serving as stepping stones to human exploration of the Red Planet.
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