Mars' Moons: Unique Facts

Phobos and Deimos, Mars' two small, irregularly shaped moons, possess distinct characteristics and origins that continue to puzzle scientists.

The top 3

1. Phobos' Shrinking Orbit: Phobos orbits Mars extremely closely and is spiraling inward at 1.8 cm per year, destined to either crash into Mars or break apart into a ring within 30 to 50 million years.
2. Deimos' Smoother Surface: Deimos, Mars' smaller and more distant moon, has a noticeably smoother surface than Phobos, attributed to the partial filling of its craters with regolith.
3. Moons' Origin Theories: Two main hypotheses for Phobos and Deimos' origins are that they are captured asteroids or formed from debris ejected by a giant impact on Mars, with MMX aiming to provide definitive answers.

Sources

• The aim – Phobos and Deimos - Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt
• sci.esa.int

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