CEDAR PARK, Texas – Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander Blue Ghost has delivered a stunning celestial snapshot of an out-of-this-world view of a solar eclipse while on the Moon.
The image was taken about 12:30 am CDT Friday and reveals a mesmerizing glowing ring of light reflected in the lander’s solar panel in space, the Texas-based company said.
The eclipse happened during what Earth experienced as a lunar eclipse. However, it is a solar eclipse when viewed from the Moon, meaning the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon and blocks the light from our star.
FIREFLY’S BLUE GHOST BEGINS OPERATIONS ON THE MOON AFTER UPRIGHT LUNAR LANDING
Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander Blue Ghost has successfully captured images of a solar eclipse while on the Moon early Friday morning.
(Firefly Aerospace)
Firefly Aerospace’s commercial robotic mission touched down on the Moon last Sunday, marking the second successful private company to land on the lunar surface in about a year and the first to remain upright. With 10 NASA instruments, Blue Ghost touched down near a volcanic feature on the Moon in an area known as Mare Crisium.
Firefly Aerospace plans to downlink more imagery soon as their X-band antenna warms up from the cold temperatures experienced during the eclipse.
On Earth, for the first time in three years, all 50 states were treated to a total lunar eclipse when the Sun, Earth and Moon aligned. This created a so-called Blood Moon.
Did you miss the lunar eclipse?
If the eclipse was too late for you, or the weather blocked your view, you can still see the eclipse online.
FOX Weather streamed different views of the lunar eclipse on YouTube. Watch it back here: