The most detailed close-ups of the martian moon Phobos were taken by Mars Express during a flyby on
July 23.
The
spacecraft flew just 62 miles (100 km) from the center of the moon, taking
images in 3-D with its High Resolution Stereo Camera. Those images will help create
a digital terrain model of the moon. Photometric enhancement of this image also
makes it possible for scientists to study the surface of Phobos at microscopic
scales.
Phobos
may have arisen from the remnants of material that formed Mars, or it might be
a captured asteroid. Russia has announced plans to send the Phobos-Grunt
mission to the martian moon within several years. The Interfax news
agency also reported today that Phobos-Grunt will carry a Chinese
microsatellite on its journey.
— ESA and SPACE.com Staff
Credit: ESA/DLR/FU
Berlin (G. Neukum)
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