Solar eclipses on Mars
The two moons of Mars—Phobos and Deimos—are much smaller than the Moon, greatly reducing solar eclipses on that planet.[1][2]
Eclipses[change | change source]
Phobos[change | change source]
Phobos is only 20 by 25 km (12 by 16 mi) and has a rapid orbital motion, so someone on Mars would only see the solar eclipse for no longer than about thirty seconds. Phobos also takes only 7 hours 39 minutes to orbit Mars, while a Martian day is 24 hours 37 minutes long, meaning that Phobos can create two eclipses per Martian day.
Deimos[change | change source]
Deimos is too small, 15 by 10 km (9.3 by 6.2 mi), to cause an eclipse. The best someone on Mars would see would be a small object passing the Sun.
View from Earth[change | change source]
Both moons are too small to cast a shadow on Mars that can be seen from Earth. However, since the creation of artificial satellites, the shadow of Phobos on Mars has been seen.
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Boyle, Alan (9 March 2004). "See a solar eclipse from Mars". NBC News. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
- ↑ "NASA Rovers Watching Solar Eclipses by Mars Moons". 8 March 2004. Archived from the original on 29 November 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2016.