A solar eclipse on Earth is one of the most emotional events. As for ancient civilizations, so it is today; no matter the reason. Every time an astronomical event of this magnitude occurs, everyone tries to see it one way or another. But, Did you know that solar eclipses also happen on Mars? Yes, and as NASA shows us today, they are very different from Earth.
The Perseverance rover captured the solar eclipse on the surface of Mars on November 18 live. The pictures were published by amateur astronomers., which processed photos taken by a NASA robot. The result is a kind of eye that looks to the side, and it is as effective as it is strange.
Why is this eclipse so different from those observed on Earth? First, we have the shape of the Martian moon. Unlike the Moon, whose surface is completely spherical, the Moon Phobos from Mars has a much weirder shape. In fact, it looks more like a potato than a perfectly spherical ball. In addition, its size also gives it away, namely that the Sun looks significantly larger than a small satellite.
It is for this reason that when passing in front of a star, the result is very different from what we are used to seeing from Earth. The sun is still visible with areas completely obscured by Mars’ small moon Phobos.
NASA Perseverance gives us a glimpse into everyday life on Mars, including a solar eclipse.
Kevin Gill was in charge of processing the images and converting them to video to share on Twitter. In this way, we can see in motion what a solar eclipse would look like if we were on the surface of Mars. In fact, we may soon be able to, as NASA’s Artemis mission aims to get humans to the moon and then send us to the nearby red planet.
Phobos is one of two natural satellites orbiting Mars. Its width at its widest point is only 27 kilometers. A satellite may not live forever. Given its proximity to Mars, it is assumed that it will be close to bringing it to its own annihilation within millions of years; an event similar to the one that formed the famous rings of Saturn.
Let’s remember that Mars Perseverance is on the red planet for more than just entertainment. The rover is tasked with collecting samples of the substrate that once belonged to lakes and oceans of water, and which may hide the answer to the decade’s question: Was there ever life on Mars, or are we extremely rare in the Universe?
Source: Hiper Textual
