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Extreme Close-Up of Mars's Moon Phobos

Posted by kdawson on from the you-lookin'-at-me dept.

coondoggie writes "The European Space Agency's Mars exploring satellite will make a number of close-up passes of the Martian moon Phobos. The Mars Express, which the agency launched in 2003, has begun a series of flybys of Phobos, the largest moon of Mars, that will ultimately set a new record for the closest pass to Phobos — skimming the surface at 50 km, or about 31 miles. This is only about 5 times the irregular moon's average radius. The data collected by the satellite could help solve some of the mysteries about the moon, beginning with that of its origin."

5 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. A little plain by T+Murphy · · Score: 4, Funny

    It looks rather plain- for some reason I thought it would look a little scary or something. Not sure why.

    --
    My webcomic
    1. Re:A little plain by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think the leather goddesses are camera shy.

  2. Picture caption by jms · · Score: 5, Funny

    For sale: One Death Star. Full size. Somewhat lumpy. Amateur construction. Needs work.

    1. Re:Picture caption by RobertB-DC · · Score: 5, Funny

      For sale: One Death Star. Full size. Somewhat lumpy. Amateur construction. Needs work.

      That's just an early engineering prototype. The production model came out looking much better.

      --
      Stressed? Me? Of course not. Stress is what a rubber band feels before it breaks, silly.
  3. Re:"Hollow"? by khallow · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hot priestess with computer? Plz send picture of computer.