Earth briefly hides behind Phobos in rare Martian occultation captured by Perseverance

NASA’s Perseverance rover captured a rare occultation where Earth briefly disappears behind Mars’ moon Phobos. The composite image, taken on July 2, 2026, shows Earth as a bright dot crossing behind Phobos in the Martian sky, an alignment that requires precise timing since Phobos crosses the sky about three times a day.