Lunar Eclipse from a Unique Perspective

The recent lunar eclipse, which occurred on March 14, captivated many as the moon took on a reddish hue in the night sky. Now, thanks to images captured by Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander, we have the opportunity to witness this phenomenon from a different viewpoint – the moon’s surface.

A Solar Eclipse from the Moon

From the lander’s vantage point, the event was not a lunar eclipse, but a solar eclipse, where Earth temporarily blocked the sun, casting a reddish glow over the Blue Ghost lander. This unique perspective has been captured in a newly released video. The imagery was shared shortly after the team posted a photograph of the "diamond ring effect" as the sun began to reappear from behind Earth.

Captivating Imagery

According to Firefly, "These images, rapidly captured by our top deck camera with different exposure settings, were stitched together in a quick clip. The red hue is a result of sunlight refracting through Earth’s atmosphere as the sun is blocked by our planet, casting a shadow on the lunar surface." In the initial part of the video, where the images are better lit, Venus can be seen as a small dot above the eclipse. With close observation, Mercury is also visible to the left of Venus.

Blue Ghost’s Mission

The Blue Ghost lander touched down on the moon on March 2, and since then, Firefly has shared several impressive photos and videos, including footage from the spacecraft’s point of view as it landed on the moon. The lander’s mission is nearing its end with the approaching lunar night, but before concluding, it will observe the lunar sunset on March 16.