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Space
Station Info :: Nine Planet Solar System ::
History of Mars :: Mars Moons
Mars Moons
 The Phobos and Deimos are the two moons of Mars and their orbits are seen from above Mars' North Pole. Both Phobos and Deimos are tidally locked with Mars, always pointing the same face towards it. Since Phobos orbits around Mars faster than the planet itself rotates, tidal forces are slowly but steadily decreasing its orbital radius. At some point in the future Phobos will be broken up by gravitational forces. Deimos, on the other hand, is distant enough that its orbit is being gradually boosted instead.
Both satellites were discovered
in 1877 by Asaph Hall, and are named after the
characters Phobos (panic/fear) and Deimos (terror/dread)
who, in Greek mythology, accompanied their father
the Greek god Ares into battle. Ares was known
to the Romans as Mars, the god of war.
Mars' Natural Satellites:
| Name |
Diameter
(km) |
Mass
(kg) |
Mean
orbital radius (km) |
Orbital
period (h) |
| Phobos |
22.2 |
(27 × 21.6 ×
18.8) |
1.08×1016 |
9378 7.66 |
| Deimos |
12.6 |
(10 × 12 ×
16) |
2×1015 |
23,40030.35 |
As seen from Mars, Phobos has
an angular diameter of between 8' (rising) and
12' (overhead), while Deimos has an angular diameter
of about 2'. The Sun's angular diameter, by contrast,
is about 21'.
Lets also see
Mythology of Mars
Physical Characteristics of Mars
Atmosphere of Mars
Geology of Mars
Topography of Mars
Canals of Mars
The Moons Of Mars
Exploration Of Mars
mars ice lake
The Mars Flag
welders
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