News Release

Mars Express close flybys of martian moon Phobos

Peer-Reviewed Publication

European Space Agency

Stereo-1 Channel Image of Phobos

image: This image has been photometrically enhanced to illuminate darker areas. Resolution: 4.1 m/pixel. view more 

Credit: Credits: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

Mars Express has returned images from the Phobos flyby of 9 January 2011. Mars Express passed Mars' largest moon at a distance of 100km.

The HRSC-camera recorded images of Phobos on 9 January 2011 at a distance of 100 km with a resolution of 8.1 m/pixel. Due to the stereo viewing geometry during the flyby a small part of the moon’s edge is only visible for the right eye resulting in odd 3D-perception in this area. This part has been slightly adjusted for better viewing. Also, for the left eye at the left edge of the image four small data gaps have been interpolated.

Superimposed on the HRSC-nadir image are 7 SRC-images with a resolution of about 3 m/pixel. The Super Resolution Channel images show more details of the surface of Phobos.

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