[WATCH] NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures Video of a Solar Eclipse on Mars

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has shared a video taken by the Perseverance rover of a solar eclipse on Mars.

The footage features the bigger moon between the Red Planet's two natural satellites, Phobos. The solar eclipse lasted for a little over 40 seconds, which was caught on video using the Martian rover's Mastcam-Z camera.

Prior to this footage, the Perseverance rover made headlines this week for reaching an ancient river delta in the Red Planet's Jezero Crater. 

NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures Video of Martian Solar Eclipse

[WATCH] NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures Video of a Solar Eclipse on Mars
(Photo : NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS/SSI)

NASA's Perseverance rover has been able to give everyone on Earth an idea of what solar eclipses are like on Mars by taking a video of one.

According to a statement published on the website of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA JPL), the footage was taken using the rover's Mastcam-Z camera on April 2. The solar eclipse, which features the Martian moon Phobos, lasted a little over 40 seconds only.

"NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has captured dramatic footage of Phobos, Mars' potato-shaped moon, crossing the face of the Sun," the statement reads.

"These observations can help scientists better understand the moon's orbit and how its gravity pulls on the Martian surface, ultimately shaping the Red Planet's crust and mantle," it adds.

You can view the footage shot by the Perseverance rover, which has been shared on its official Twitter account, below:

 

Phobos, the Martian Moon

According to a report by Space, Phobos is one of the two natural satellites of Mars. It is around 157 times smaller than our own moon. The second Martian moon, Deimos, is actually smaller than Phobos. 

Specifically, Phobos is 17 x 14 x 11 miles in diameter, per NASA. It was discovered on Aug. 17, 1877 by astronomer Asaph Hall. NASA describes Phobos as "gouged and nearly shattered by a giant impact crater and beaten by thousands of meteorite impacts," 

The Space report also notes that "Phobos is in a death spiral over Mars and will likely crash into the Red Planet's surface in a few tens of millions of years, researchers say." 

Read Also: NASA Mars Rover Pictures and Videos: Perseverance Spots Mars Moon Deimos in Cool Clip

Perseverance Rover Reaches River Delta in Jezero Crater

Prior to the awe-inspiring video it took of a Martian solar eclipse, the Perseverance rover made headlines this week after it finally reached an ancient river delta in the Jezero Crater of the Red Planet. 

The Martian rover is expected to search for evidence of previous microscopic life while in the area. Should it find any samples, it will be collected by the Perseverance and eventually sent to Earth. 

Prior to its journey to the ancient river delta, the Perseverance rover was busy collecting rock samples around the Jezero Crater. These samples will similarly be sent to Earth in a couple of years. 

Related Article: NASA's Perseverance Rover Reaches Ancient River Delta on Mars

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