Perseverance rover watches Earth vanish behind Martian moon
NASA's Perseverance rover captured a unique sequence of images showing Earth passing behind the Martian moon Phobos. This marks the first time humanity has observed Earth disappearing behind another celestial body from the surface of a different planet.
Why it matters
This observation provides valuable data for planetary science and demonstrates the ongoing technical capabilities of the Mars exploration mission.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source This annotated composite of nine images taken by Perseverance’s Mastcam-Z on July 2, 2026, shows Earth — the small bright dot moving from upper left to lower right — passing behind the Martian moon Phobos. The images in the inset were captured from the same rectangular patch of sky outlined in black. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS/SSI Earth and the Martian moon Phobos dance together in a series of images recently acquired by NASA's Perseverance Mars rover. Earth appears as a point of light in the Martian sky, disappearing behind the crescent of Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons.
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