Media Information

 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Solarsystem Collection
title:
High-Resolution MOC Image of Phobos
description:
This image of Phobos, the inner and larger of the two moons of Mars, was taken by the Mars Global Surveyor on August 19, 1998. This image shows a close-up of the largest crater on Phobos, Stickney, 10 kilometers (6 miles) in diameter. Individual boulders are visible on the near rim of the crater, and are presumed to be ejecta blocks from the impact that formed Stickney. Some of these boulders are enormous - more than 50 meters (160 feet) across.

Also crossing at and near the rim of Stickney are shallow, elongated depressions called grooves. This crater is nearly half the size of Phobos and these grooves may be fractures caused by its formation. Phobos was observed by both the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) and Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES). This image is one of the highest resolution images (4 meters or 13 feet per picture element or pixel) ever obtained of the Martian satellite.

Malin Space Science Systems, Inc. and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Thermal Emission Spectrometer is operated by Arizona State University and was built by Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO.

*Image Credit*: Erich Karkoschka (University of Arizona Lunar & Planetary Lab) and NASA
date:
08.19.1998
keywords:
Solar System Exploration
keywords:
SSE
keywords:
Space
keywords:
NASA
keywords:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
keywords:
JPL
keywords:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
keywords:
Planets
facet_what:
Mars
facet_what:
Surveyor
facet_what:
Crater
facet_what:
Spectrometer
facet_what:
Mars Observer
facet_what:
TES
facet_what:
Mars Global Surveyor Orbiter (MGS)
facet_what:
Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)
facet_what:
Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES)
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facet_where:
Mars
facet_where:
Denver
facet_where:
California
facet_where:
Arizona
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_when:
August 19, 1998
facet_when:
08-19-1998
facet_when_year:
1998
UID:
SPD-SLRSY-2106
original url:

High-Resolution MOC Image of Phobos