Is this object Mars?

Question

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 (time and location included, no idea about the azimuth). I couldn't find a planet looking at this direction.

According to this (if I understand it correctly) the only planet visible at that time and location should have been Mars.

Does this answer your question? Help identify a bright and round object photographed through a telescope — B--rian, May 26 '21 at 15:05
@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, May 26 '21 at 15:09
@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, May 26 '21 at 15:13
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, May 26 '21 at 15:15
@B--rian, thanks! If you post it as an answer, I'll accept it. — ndnenkov, May 26 '21 at 15:16
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, May 26 '21 at 15:18
It's a an artifact produced in the optical system of the camera. It might well be a reflected image of the moon. What it isn't is a planet, which is not going to be imaged as a disc that large by a phone camera. — , May 27 '21 at 10:25
@tfb Unless if it was a rogue planet coming from interstellar space. That's what made this question so intriguing. — Giovanni, May 28 '21 at 05:10

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered May 27 '21 at 17:41

Is this object Mars?

I'm pretty sure this is simple 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:

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):

complete image:

click for larger

Is this object Mars?

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