Deimos (l) and Phobos, two moons in the sky of Mars. Image via NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory.
Isn’t it great how we’ve been getting sky images from the Mars rovers? Here are Martian moons Deimos (left) and Phobos (right) view from the Mars Science Laboratory, whose Discovery rover landed on Mars over a year ago in what was then being called seven minutes of terror.
NASA released this image on September 21, 2013. Deimos and Phobos were both in front of the constellation Gemini the Twins at the time. Yes, Mars sees the same constellations we do on Earth. You’d have to be much, much farther from our solar system than Mars is, farther even than the closest stars, for the patterns of the constellations to begin to shift their shape.
Note that the illumination and orientation of the moon Phobos. This image lets us view right into the large Stickney Crater on Phobos, which is at the bottom of the moon in this image. Here, most of the interior of Stickney is in shadow, with sunlight striking the far wall.
Phobos was about to pass into the shadow of Mars when this image was taken.
Thanks to Andrew Brown for sharing this image!
Can’t resist posting this image. It’s Phobos again, orbiting in front of Mars. Image via Mars Express / ESA / DLR / FU Berlin (G. Neukum).
Our Editor-in-Chief Deborah Byrd works to keep all the astronomy balls in the air between EarthSky's website, YouTube page and social media platforms. She's the primary editor of our popular daily newsletter and a frequent host of EarthSky livestreams. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
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