Perseverance rover captures Phobos transiting the Sun and occulting Earth

NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured significant astronomical events from the surface of Mars. Using its Mastcam-Z camera, the rover recorded the silhouette of Phobos, one of Mars’ two moons, as it transited across the Sun on August 12, 2026, while positioned in the Jezero crater.

Additionally, the rover documented a rare celestial alignment where Phobos occulted Earth. This event, captured on July 2, marked the first time humanity has photographed Earth disappearing behind another celestial object from the surface of another planet. While Phobos crosses the Martian sky frequently, the precise alignment required specific planning and timing to observe the small, bright point of Earth being temporarily obscured by the moon.