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Solar eclipses on Mars facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
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An eclipse of the Sun by Phobos as viewed on Mars (August 20, 2013).
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Transit of Phobos (Opportunity, March 2004)

The two moons of Mars—Phobos and Deimos—are much smaller than the Moon, greatly reducing solar eclipses on that planet..

Eclipses

Phobos

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

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

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.

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