Moons of Mars
The Moons of Mars consist of two small natural satellites, Phobos and Deimos. These moons were discovered by the American astronomer Asaph Hall in 1877 at the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. Here is detailed information about each:
- Orbit: Phobos orbits Mars at an average distance of about 6,000 kilometers, making it one of the closest moons to its parent planet in the Solar System.
- Size: Its dimensions are approximately 27 × 22 × 18 kilometers, making it larger than Deimos.
- Surface: Phobos has a cratered and irregular shape, with the most prominent feature being the giant crater Stickney Crater, named after the wife of Asaph Hall.
- Characteristics: It is thought to be a captured asteroid or a remnant from a collision with Mars. Phobos has a low albedo, appearing very dark, and its surface is covered in grooves and striations.
- Orbital Period: Phobos completes an orbit around Mars in about 7 hours and 39 minutes, which is faster than Mars rotates, meaning it rises in the west and sets in the east.
- Future: Due to its low orbit, Phobos is gradually spiraling inward towards Mars. It is predicted that in about 50 million years, it could either crash into Mars or break up to form a ring around the planet.
- Orbit: Deimos orbits Mars at a greater distance than Phobos, approximately 23,460 kilometers away.
- Size: It is significantly smaller with dimensions of about 15 × 12.2 × 11 kilometers.
- Surface: Deimos appears smoother than Phobos, with fewer impact craters, suggesting a younger surface or one that has been resurfaced by material thrown up from Mars.
- Characteristics: Like Phobos, Deimos is thought to be an asteroid that was captured by Mars' gravitational field. Its surface is also quite dark.
- Orbital Period: Deimos orbits Mars once every 30.3 hours, meaning it takes over a Martian day to complete one orbit.
- Visibility: Deimos is not visible to the naked eye from the surface of Mars due to its small size and distance.
Exploration and Studies
Sources:
Related Topics: