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NASA’s Perseverance Captures Phobos and Earth
NASA's Perseverance rover used its Mastcam-Z instrument to capture images of Earth passing behind the Martian moon Phobos on July 2, 2026.
Why it matters
These images demonstrate the technical ability of a robotic rover on Mars to track and photograph distant astronomical objects.
The details
- The captures occurred during sol 1907 of the Perseverance mission.
- Earth appears as a small bright dot moving from upper left to lower right.
- Images were taken approximately 40 minutes after sunset on Mars.
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In this article
Key connections
Arizona State University owns Mastcam-Z
Arizona State University leads operations for the Mastcam-Z instrument.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory is related to Perseverance
Jet Propulsion Laboratory built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.
Malin Space Science Systems is related to Mastcam-Z
Malin Space Science Systems collaborated on the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of Mastcam-Z.
Related events
NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures Earth Passing Behind Phobos on Mars
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