The larger and more atypical moon of Mars, Phobos, is sometimes called the “space potato” because of its lumpy and uneven shape. NASA has just released a stunning new photograph of the moon.
Measuring roughly 17 by 14 by 11 miles (27 by 22 by 18 kilometers), Phobos does not have enough gravitational pull to form a spherical shape similar to that of the Moon.
Its small size and low gravity give it a potato-like look, contributing to its unusual structure.
The image taken by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera highlights the unusual shape of Phobos.
The image displays the crater-filled, brownish-red surface of the moon against the backdrop of the vast emptiness of space.
Interestingly, Stickney Crater, one of the biggest craters on Phobos’ right side, has a noticeable white area next to it. Even with its ostensibly constant presence, Phobos is headed toward an inevitable and gradual collision with Mars.
About six feet (1.8 meters) are added to the moon’s distance from the Red Planet every hundred years. Scientists estimate that in around 50 million years, Phobos will either smash into Mars or fragment into a ring around the planet at present rate.
Since it began observing Mars in 2006, the HiRISE camera has yielded priceless knowledge on the planet and its moons.
The smaller and farther-flung moon Deimos circles Mars on average at a distance of roughly 23,500 kilometers (14,600 miles).
Similar to Phobos, it is irregularly shaped but appears smoother, with fewer big craters and a more uniform surface coated in a thick layer of regolith.
Voltaire and Swift craters are two of its most notable features. Deimos is gradually separating from Mars due to its orbit, but this process is proceeding far more slowly.
