SMRTR Science & EngineeringNov 20, 2024Science News

Mars’ potato-shaped moons could be the remains of a shredded asteroid

SMRTR summary

Mars' moons Phobos and Deimos may have formed from a captured asteroid split by the planet's gravity, explaining their circular orbits and shapes. Computer simulations support this theory, showing how the process could create rings that formed the moons. Japan's 2026 Mars Moons Exploration mission aims to collect Phobos samples to determine the moons' origins and provide insights into moon formation around exoplanets.

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