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VIRTUALISATION Mars Express sends 'sharpest ever' photos of Phobos
VIRTUALISATION Mars Express sends 'sharpest ever' photos of Phobos | Mars Express sends 'sharpest ever' photos of Phobos |
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| by Stephen Withers | |
| Thursday, 31 July 2008 | |
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The best images have a resolution of 3.7 metres (12 ft) per pixel. This is the first time that the entire disc of Phobos has been photographed at such high resolution and in 3D. It is also the first time that portions of the far side of Phobos have been photographed at such high resolution. The images include the proposed landing site for the Russian Phobos-Grunt mission scheduled for 2009, which is intended to return soil samples to Earth. The images clearly show a series of grooves running around Phobos, but their origin remains uncertain. The close flyby of Phobos was possible because Mars Express is in such an elliptical orbit around Mars. Although it travels as close to the planet as 270 km (168 miles), it also swings out to a maximum of 10,000 km (6200 miles) - well beyond Phobos's 9000 km (5600 mile) orbit. You'll find more information and a link to the ESA photos on page 2. |
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