Mars Express' closest-ever image of Phobos

Filed under pretty pictures, Phobos, Mars Express

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Mars Express approached to within 93 kilometers of Phobos to snap this photo, on July 23, 2008. This image has been rotated so that north is up. It was summer at Mars, so the north pole is well-lit in this photo.

ESA / DLR / FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

The view is centered about 40 degrees north on the trailing hemisphere of Phobos, which has not been seen at very high resolution in the past, although much of the trailing hemisphere terrain is lost in nighttime shadow. The double crater located near the terminator is about 30 degrees north and 20 degrees east of the center of the trailing hemisphere.