<blockquote>
<p>Is this object Mars?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm pretty sure this is simple <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_flare" rel="noreferrer">lens flare</a>.</p>
<p>While lens surfaces in cameras have antireflection coatings that strongly reduce reflections, they are not perfect. A very bright small spot like the Sun or Moon or a bright streetlight will result in near-mirror images opposite the center of the image.</p>
<p>Analysis from <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/32951/7982">this answer</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/W8Wb4.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/W8Wb4.png" alt="lens flare exactly opposite the center of the image" /></a></p>
<p>Here I used this effect <em>on purpose</em> to reduce the brightness of the partially eclipsed Sun before it became annular. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_December_14,_2020" rel="noreferrer">Solar eclipse of December 14, 2020</a>):</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/6geJR.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/6geJR.jpg" alt="Partially eclipsed Sun December 14, 2020" /></a></p>
<p>complete image:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Tu2w3.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Tu2w3m.jpg" alt="Partially eclipsed Sun December 14, 2020" /></a> click for larger</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-27T17:41:38.493Z
2021-05-27T17:41:38.493Z
uhoh
<p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eRUVL-LpT_ujYY0O4ClppVm8h7dj5WTcGAVQej0aVvmgE7BZ-LTFx0ejzVDNIqXf1-pI1Gl9Z0leTWoTJf3d_2Eot8eGQw2uml55tbILxctRO6B-wJggw9UUSkGqHrAOucJPL5Ol4ooai8JwUrk6d3=w2128-h1596-no?authuser=0" alt="photo" /></p>
<p>I decided to try the Astrophotography mode on my phone. Looking at the image I saw an object I didn't notice at the time.</p>
<p>What is the blue circle right of the Moon and just on the top right of the hole between the clouds?</p>
<hr />
<p>I tried to look at <a href="https://in-the-sky.org///skymap.php?no_cookie=1&amp;latitude=43.22&amp;longitude=27.92&amp;timezone=3.00&amp;year=2021&amp;month=5&amp;day=25&amp;hour=21&amp;min=37&amp;PLlimitmag=2&amp;zoom=109&amp;ra=15.10718&amp;dec=-26.27860&amp;skin=0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a planetarium</a> (time and location included, no idea about the azimuth). I couldn't find a planet looking at this direction.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://in-the-sky.org/data/planets.php" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a> (if I understand it correctly) the only planet visible at that time and location should have been Mars.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-27T10:16:40.290Z
Thanks for re-opening your question!
Giovanni
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-28T05:10:52.563Z
@tfb Unless if it was a rogue planet coming from interstellar space. That's what made this question so intriguing.
Giovanni
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-26T15:05:56.783Z
Does this answer your question? [Help identify a bright and round object photographed through a telescope](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/34900/help-identify-a-bright-and-round-object-photographed-through-a-telescope)
B--rian
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-26T15:09:28.850Z
@B--rian, according to https://in-the-sky.org/data/planets.php "Venus recently passed behind the Sun at superior solar conjunction. From Varna, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is no higher than 7° above the horizon at dusk.". Is the site just wrong or am I misinterpreting stuff?
ndnenkov
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-26T15:13:44.447Z
@B--rian or if you're suggesting it's just a spec of dust on the lens - maybe it's possible. But I also took a couple of photos before and after that and they don't have the same "spot".
ndnenkov
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-26T15:15:56.537Z
Welcome to astronomy SE! I am rather certain that is an effect of the lens - in any case a zoom-in of your object would be helpful, see also https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/43684/what-is-that-donut-shaped-object-i-see-in-my-telescope
B--rian
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-26T15:16:43.053Z
@B--rian, thanks! If you post it as an answer, I'll accept it.
ndnenkov
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-26T15:18:22.900Z
The official way for a question like this is close-as-duplicate your question rather than answering it - please do not feel dishearted by that.
B--rian
<identify-this-object>
Is this object Mars?
ndnenkov
# Is this object Mars?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-05-26)

![photo](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eRUVL-LpT_ujYY0O4ClppVm8h7dj5WTcGAVQej0aVvmgE7BZ-LTFx0ejzVDNIqXf1-pI1Gl9Z0leTWoTJf3d_2Eot8eGQw2uml55tbILxctRO6B-wJggw9UUSkGqHrAOucJPL5Ol4ooai8JwUrk6d3=w2128-h1596-no?authuser=0)

I decided to try the Astrophotography mode on my phone. Looking at the image I saw an object I didn't notice at the time.

What is the blue circle right of the Moon and just on the top right of the hole between the clouds?

---

I tried to look at [a planetarium](https://in-the-sky.org///skymap.php?no_cookie=1&latitude=43.22&longitude=27.92&timezone=3.00&year=2021&month=5&day=25&hour=21&min=37&PLlimitmag=2&zoom=109&ra=15.10718&dec=-26.27860&skin=0) (time and location included, no idea about the azimuth). I couldn't find a planet looking at this direction.

According to [this](https://in-the-sky.org/data/planets.php) (if I understand it correctly) the only planet visible at that time and location should have been Mars.

**Tags:** identify-this-object
> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Does this answer your question? [Help identify a bright and round object photographed through a telescope](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/34900/help-identify-a-bright-and-round-object-photographed-through-a-telescope)  
> **username_0**: @B--rian, according to https://in-the-sky.org/data/planets.php "Venus recently passed behind the Sun at superior solar conjunction. From Varna, it is not observable – it will reach its highest point in the sky during daytime and is no higher than 7° above the horizon at dusk.". Is the site just wrong or am I misinterpreting stuff?  
> **username_0**: @B--rian or if you're suggesting it's just a spec of dust on the lens - maybe it's possible. But I also took a couple of photos before and after that and they don't have the same "spot".  
> **username_2**: Welcome to astronomy SE! I am rather certain that is an effect of the lens - in any case a zoom-in of your object would be helpful, see also https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/43684/what-is-that-donut-shaped-object-i-see-in-my-telescope  
> **username_0**: @B--rian, thanks! If you post it as an answer, I'll accept it.  
> **username_2**: The official way for a question like this is close-as-duplicate your question rather than answering it - please do not feel dishearted by that.  
> **username_1**: Thanks for re-opening your question!  
> **username_1**: @tfb Unless if it was a rogue planet coming from interstellar space. That's what made this question so intriguing.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-05-27. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

> Is this object Mars?

I'm pretty sure this is simple [lens flare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_flare).

While lens surfaces in cameras have antireflection coatings that strongly reduce reflections, they are not perfect. A very bright small spot like the Sun or Moon or a bright streetlight will result in near-mirror images opposite the center of the image.

Analysis from [this answer](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/32951/7982):

[![lens flare exactly opposite the center of the image](https://i.sstatic.net/W8Wb4.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/W8Wb4.png)

Here I used this effect *on purpose* to reduce the brightness of the partially eclipsed Sun before it became annular. [Solar eclipse of December 14, 2020](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_December_14,_2020)):

[![Partially eclipsed Sun December 14, 2020](https://i.sstatic.net/6geJR.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/6geJR.jpg)

complete image:

[![Partially eclipsed Sun December 14, 2020](https://i.sstatic.net/Tu2w3m.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/Tu2w3.jpg) click for larger


---

