Does Phobos have weather?

Does Phobos have weather?

There is no weather in space – but there is weathering: Celestial bodies are bombarded by high energy particles. The Martian moon Phobos is affected by a special situation: it is so close to Mars that not only the solar wind but also the irradiation by particles from Mars plays a decisive role there.

Is there water on Phobos?

Phobos is small, dark, and airless. And it’s one of the driest bodies in the solar system. But observations by several spacecraft indicate that there’s less water at the surface of Phobos than in almost any other body in the solar system.

What is the atmosphere like on Phobos?

Phobos does not have an atmosphere due to its low mass and low gravity. It is one of the least reflective bodies in the Solar System, with an albedo of about 0.071.

Does Phobos spin?

Both moons revolve in the same direction, but Phobos revolves in less than eight hours, only 1/3 the time it takes Mars to rotate on its axis. Phobos orbits Mars more than twice during each Martian day! Because its orbit is so low, tidal forces are causing its orbit to get lower every year.

Is Mars moons doomed?

This moon is doomed. Phobos orbits so close to Mars that gravitational tidal forces are dragging it down. In 100 million years or so, Phobos likely will be shattered by stress caused by the relentless tidal forces, the debris forming a decaying ring around Mars.

What was the temperature on the surface of Phobos?

High temperatures for Phobos were measured at 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 degrees Celsius) and lows at -170 degrees Fahrenheit (-112 degrees Celsius). This intense heat loss is likely a result of the fine dust on Phobos’ surface, which is unable to retain heat.

How often does Phobos orbit around the planet Mars?

It orbits Mars three times a day, and is so close to the planet’s surface that in some locations on Mars it cannot always be seen. Phobos is nearing Mars at a rate of six feet (1.8 meters) every hundred years; at that rate, it will either crash into Mars in 50 million years or break up into a ring.

What is the name of the crater on Phobos?

Its most prominent feature is the 6-mile (9.7 kilometer) crater Stickney, its impact causing streak patterns across the moon’s surface. Stickney was seen by Mars Global Surveyor to be filled with fine dust, with evidence of boulders sliding down its sloped surface. A 3D model of Phobos, on of two moons of Mars.

How did the moon Phobos get its name?

How Phobos Got its Name. Hall named Mars’ moons for the mythological sons of Ares, the Greek counterpart of the Roman god, Mars. Phobos, whose name means fear or panic, is the brother of Deimos.