NASA 'HiRISE camera captures image of phobos, Mars' 'space potato' Moon, check picture here

The larger and strangely shaped moon of Mars, Phobos, also known as the "space potato" because of its lumpy and uneven shape, has been captured in a stunning new image released by NASA. Measuring approximately 17 by 14 by 11 miles (27 by 22 by 18 kilometres), Phobos lacks the gravitational force necessary to form a spherical shape like Earth's Moon, giving it a unique structure that is reminiscent of a potato. 

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.

 

 

 

 

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Interestingly, Stickney Crater, one of the biggest craters on Phobos' right side, has a noticeable white area adjacent to it. Even with its ostensibly constant presence, Phobos is headed towards an eventual and gradual collision with Mars.

 
The HiRISE camera, which has been monitoring Mars since 2006, continues to give crucial information about the Martian environment and moons. Deimos, Mars' smaller and more distant moon, orbits at an average distance of around 23,500 kilometres (14,600 miles).
 
It is likewise irregularly shaped, but seems smoother than Phobos, with fewer big craters and a more uniform surface coated with thick regolith.
 
Its most notable characteristics are two craters called Swift and Voltaire. Deimos' orbit is gradually migrating away from Mars, although this is happening at a considerably slower rate.