Shadow
07-31-2008, 04:50 AM
Mars Express Acquires Sharpest Images Of Martian Moon Phobos
On 23 July 2008, the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board the ESA's Mars Express took the highest-resolution full-disc image yet of the surface of the moon Phobos. The image data was acquired from a distance of 97 km with a spatial resolution of about 3.7 m/pixel in orbit 5851. These images have surpassed all previous images from other missions in continuous coverage of the illuminated surface at the highest spatial resolution of 3.7 m/pixel. This image has been geometrically corrected and exhibits the original illumination and photometric conditions. Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum) ... Desktops available 1360x768 - 1280x1024 - 1024x768.
by Staff Writers
Paris, France (ESA) Jul 31, 2008
Mars Express closed in on the intriguing martian moon Phobos at 6:49 CEST on 23 July, flying past at 3 km/s, only 93 km from the moon. The ESA spacecraft's fly-bys of the moon have returned its most detailed full-disc images ever, also in 3-D, using the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board.
Phobos is what scientists call a 'small irregular body'. Measuring 27 km × 22 km × 19 km, it is one of the least reflective objects in the Solar System, thought to be a capture-asteroid or a remnant of the material that formed the planets.
The best images of Phobos ever
The HRSC images, which are still under processing, form a bounty for scientists studying Phobos. They are a result of observations carried out over several close fly-bys of the martian moon, performed over the past three weeks.
At their best, the pictures have a resolution of 3.7 m/pixel and are taken in five channels (in the stereo channel) for images in 3-D and (in the photometric channels) to perform analyses of the physical properties of the surface.
The images obtained by several other spacecraft so far have either been of a lower resolution, or not available in 3D and have not covered the entire disc of Phobos. This is also the first time that portions of the far-side of the moon have been imaged in such high resolution (Phobos always faces Mars on the same side).
Scientific bounty
In observing Phobos, Mars Express benefits from its highly elliptical orbit which takes it from a closest distance of 270 km from the planet to a maximum of 10 000 km (from the centre of Mars), crossing the 9000 km orbit of the martian moon. Mars Express imaged the far-side of Phobos (with respect to Mars) for the first time after NASA's Viking mission, by flying outside the spacecraft's orbit around Mars.
Phobos-Grunt (Phobos soil), a Russian sample-return mission, is due to for launch in 2009. It is expected to land on the far-side of Phobos at a region between 5 south to 5 north, and 230 west to 235 west. This region was last imaged in the 1970s by the Viking orbiters.
The HRSC observations have been awaited eagerly to better assess and characterise the choice of the landing site.
More here:
http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Mars_Express_Acquires_Sharpest_Images_Of_Martian_M oon_Phobos_999.html
Incredibly awesome.:)
On 23 July 2008, the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board the ESA's Mars Express took the highest-resolution full-disc image yet of the surface of the moon Phobos. The image data was acquired from a distance of 97 km with a spatial resolution of about 3.7 m/pixel in orbit 5851. These images have surpassed all previous images from other missions in continuous coverage of the illuminated surface at the highest spatial resolution of 3.7 m/pixel. This image has been geometrically corrected and exhibits the original illumination and photometric conditions. Credits: ESA/ DLR/ FU Berlin (G. Neukum) ... Desktops available 1360x768 - 1280x1024 - 1024x768.
by Staff Writers
Paris, France (ESA) Jul 31, 2008
Mars Express closed in on the intriguing martian moon Phobos at 6:49 CEST on 23 July, flying past at 3 km/s, only 93 km from the moon. The ESA spacecraft's fly-bys of the moon have returned its most detailed full-disc images ever, also in 3-D, using the High Resolution Stereo Camera on board.
Phobos is what scientists call a 'small irregular body'. Measuring 27 km × 22 km × 19 km, it is one of the least reflective objects in the Solar System, thought to be a capture-asteroid or a remnant of the material that formed the planets.
The best images of Phobos ever
The HRSC images, which are still under processing, form a bounty for scientists studying Phobos. They are a result of observations carried out over several close fly-bys of the martian moon, performed over the past three weeks.
At their best, the pictures have a resolution of 3.7 m/pixel and are taken in five channels (in the stereo channel) for images in 3-D and (in the photometric channels) to perform analyses of the physical properties of the surface.
The images obtained by several other spacecraft so far have either been of a lower resolution, or not available in 3D and have not covered the entire disc of Phobos. This is also the first time that portions of the far-side of the moon have been imaged in such high resolution (Phobos always faces Mars on the same side).
Scientific bounty
In observing Phobos, Mars Express benefits from its highly elliptical orbit which takes it from a closest distance of 270 km from the planet to a maximum of 10 000 km (from the centre of Mars), crossing the 9000 km orbit of the martian moon. Mars Express imaged the far-side of Phobos (with respect to Mars) for the first time after NASA's Viking mission, by flying outside the spacecraft's orbit around Mars.
Phobos-Grunt (Phobos soil), a Russian sample-return mission, is due to for launch in 2009. It is expected to land on the far-side of Phobos at a region between 5 south to 5 north, and 230 west to 235 west. This region was last imaged in the 1970s by the Viking orbiters.
The HRSC observations have been awaited eagerly to better assess and characterise the choice of the landing site.
More here:
http://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Mars_Express_Acquires_Sharpest_Images_Of_Martian_M oon_Phobos_999.html
Incredibly awesome.:)