….last month. With a nice transit video at the link.

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera to capture the silhouette of Phobos, one of the two Martian moons, as it crossed in front of the Sun on Aug. 12, 2026, the 1,948th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.

The animation has been tinted to simulate what a human would see if they were watching the transit from the Martian surface through protective solar eclipse glasses.

Perseverance has captured several Phobos transits since its landing at Jezero Crater in February 2021. By comparing the various recordings, scientists can refine their understanding of the potato-shaped moon‘’ orbit, learning how it is changing. Eons from now, Phobos’ orbit is expected to eventually send the moon toward the Red Planet’s surface.

https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/perseverance-captures-another-phobos-transit/

Video link

The Rev Dodgson might get a kick out of this wintate claim

When Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), as a hidden report about his having observed two bumps on the sides of Saturn, later discovered to be its rings, used the anagram smaismrmilmepoetaleumibunenugttauiras for Altissimum planetam tergeminum observavi (“I have observed the most distant planet to have a triple form”), Johannes Kepler (1571–1630) had misinterpreted it to mean Salve umbistineum geminatum Martia proles (Hello, furious twins, sons of Mars).

SCIENCE said:

The Rev Dodgson might get a kick out of this wintate claim

When Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), as a hidden report about his having observed two bumps on the sides of Saturn, later discovered to be its rings, used the anagram smaismrmilmepoetaleumibunenugttauiras for Altissimum planetam tergeminum observavi (“I have observed the most distant planet to have a triple form”), Johannes Kepler (1571–1630) had misinterpreted it to mean Salve umbistineum geminatum Martia proles (Hello, furious twins, sons of Mars).

:)

I didn’t know that.