NASA’s Mars Rover Gazes at a Dramatic Sky: Discover What It Spotted Instead of a Star!

In the early hours before dawn, NASA’s Perseverance rover caught a glimpse of something special in the Martian sky. It wasn’t a star; it was Deimos, one of Mars’ two moons. The rover used a long-exposure setting on its navigation camera to snap a rare image of this shy moon. NASA described the photo as “definitely a mood” in a recent post on social media.

Deimos, along with its larger counterpart Phobos, has puzzled scientists for years. It’s a small moon, about 7.5 miles wide, and looks a bit like a battered potato. The European Space Agency (ESA) points out that both moons are extremely dark, absorbing most of the light that hits them.

The origins of Deimos and Phobos remain a mystery. Some scientists think they may be captured asteroids, while others suggest they could be fragments of Mars itself, blown off during an ancient collision. This debate is ongoing and reflects how much we still have to learn about our celestial neighbors.

The Perseverance rover took the image of Deimos while on its way to a new exploration site called Witch Hazel Hill in Jezero Crater. Though taken on March 1, the photo was only recently shared with the public. The long exposure time makes it look hazy, which is common for low-light images. Many of the bright specks you see are likely digital noise, but some could be cosmic rays or even distant stars like Regulus and Algieba.

Interestingly, less than two weeks after Perseverance’s snapshot, another spacecraft, the Hera mission, flew by Deimos as part of its journey to study an asteroid. Hera swung by Deimos at just 625 miles above its surface, using Mars’ gravity to adjust its trajectory. This mission, which includes contributions from Queen guitarist Brian May, aims to uncover more about our solar system. May expressed excitement at the wealth of scientific data they’re gathering, highlighting the thrill of exploration.

As technology advances, our understanding of these moons will likely deepen. For now, images like those from Perseverance and Hera remind us of the marvels just beyond our planet and inspire curiosity about where we might go next.

For more on Mars and its moons, read more from the European Space Agency and NASA’s Hera mission.

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