Fear passed in front of the sun last week, and a NASA rover saw it fly. The Mars moon Phobos, whose name means “Fear” in ancient Greek, was caught on camera by the NASA Perseverance rover on Feb. 8. This rare event was captured in 68 images uploaded by engineers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to their Perseverance raw images repository.
The footage was filmed using the rover’s left Mastcam-Z camera, one of two scouting imagers high on the neck-like mast of Perseverance, often used to get sweeping landscape views of the Red Planet. In the image, Phobos can be seen passing in front of the sun, creating a stunning solar eclipse.
Phobos, first discovered by American astronomer Asaph Hall in 1877, is an asteroid-sized moon orbiting a few thousand miles above the Martian surface. It is gradually falling towards the planet and is expected to eventually break up due to the forces of Mars’ gravity. However, the formation history of Phobos and its companion moon Deimos remains enigmatic. Scientists are uncertain whether they originated from the asteroid belt, resulted from collisions, or are leftover debris from the early solar system.
Despite numerous flybys over the years, no spacecraft has been able to visit Phobos yet. However, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has plans to send the Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission to Phobos in 2026. The primary objective of MMX will be sample return, where dust from Phobos will be collected and brought back to Earth. This dust could provide valuable insights into the formation history of Phobos and even shed light on the Martian atmosphere.
The Martian atmosphere is a subject of great interest for scientists, as they are still trying to understand why Mars has lost a significant portion of its atmosphere over time. This research has implications for the planet’s habitability and the presence of water, as running water requires a certain degree of surface pressure. The Perseverance rover, in its mission to search for signs of ancient water and habitable conditions, will contribute to this ongoing investigation.
Similar to MMX, Perseverance is also a sample return mission. However, the rover will require assistance. NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are planning to send a Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission to the rover’s area in the 2030s to collect samples for return to Earth. Unfortunately, the MSR program faced setbacks recently when JPL had to lay off many of its employees due to ongoing budgetary issues.
The MSR mission has experienced delays and budget overruns due to its complexity. Additionally, NASA is currently operating under a continuing resolution, freezing its spending at 2023 levels until Congress resolves the U.S. budget. As a result, JPL was forced to lay off 8% of its workforce this month. Despite these challenges, the MSR mission remains a priority for NASA and ESA, as it holds the potential to provide invaluable insights into the geological and atmospheric history of Mars.
In conclusion, the recent sighting of Phobos passing in front of the sun captured by the NASA Perseverance rover is a remarkable event. It highlights the ongoing efforts to explore and understand the Martian moons and their formation history. The upcoming MMX mission and the long-term MSR mission will play crucial roles in unraveling the mysteries of Phobos, Mars’ atmosphere, and its potential for habitability. Although facing budgetary challenges, NASA and ESA remain committed to these missions, recognizing their significance in advancing our knowledge of the Red Planet.
