Blue Ghost’s final gift: A rare view of Blood Moon eclipse captured from lunar surface

Blue Ghost’s Final Gift: A Lunar Eclipse Like No Other (Image: Firefly Aerospace)

A rare celestial event captured from an even rarer perspective—this is what Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander achieved on the Moon. As people on Earth marvelled at the blood Moon, this little robot was watching something even more spectacular. From its lunar home in Mare Crisium, the lander witnessed a total solar eclipse, where Earth perfectly covered the Sun. It was a sight no human has seen from the Moon in over 50 years.

A View Unlike Any Other
Lunar and solar eclipses happen when celestial bodies align in space. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon blocks the Sun’s light from Earth. A lunar eclipse happens when Earth casts its shadow on the Moon, turning it a deep red. But from the Moon, the view is different. Earth blocks the Sun, casting a massive shadow across the lunar surface. This is an eclipse seen from another world.

The Blue Ghost lander was perfectly placed to witness this rare event. As the Earth moved in front of the Sun, the lander recorded the entire spectacle. This marked the first time a commercial lander actively operated during such a lunar eclipse. Even Venus and Mercury made an appearance, photobombing the event in the background.

Surviving the Harsh Lunar Conditions
Unlike Earth, the Moon has no atmosphere to trap heat. Temperatures can swing dramatically in a short time. During the eclipse, the lander faced an extreme temperature drop—from 40°C to -170°C (104°F to -274°F). In permanently shadowed areas, temperatures can plummet below -246°C.

Because the lander relies on solar power, the eclipse forced it to use backup batteries. For five long hours, it survived without sunlight. Despite these challenges, Blue Ghost captured a rare cosmic event that will help scientists understand more about lunar eclipses.

A Short but Meaningful Mission
Blue Ghost’s time on the Moon was always going to be short. The lander had just one lunar day—14 Earth days—to complete its mission. When the long lunar night arrives, its systems will shut down forever. But before its final moments, it managed to capture one of the most spectacular sights in space.

Firefly Aerospace has promised to release more images and data from the mission. For now, this tiny robot has given us a glimpse of something truly special. Science will benefit from its efforts, and the world is eager to see what other secrets the Moon still holds.