Dunno about you guys but I may have at one time or another exploited the asteroid and non destructible object bug in FE2 to get my ranking up.
Here is a recent photo from the afore mentioned recently taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. I just love this stuff as it really stretches the minds perception of what we think is out there and what it looks like.
NASA explains that the image was taken "at a distance of about 6,800 kilometers (about 4,200 miles), and is "presented in color by combining data from the camera's blue-green, red, and near-infrared channels".
The blurb continues: "The illuminated part of Phobos seen in the images is about 21 kilometers (13 miles) across. The most prominent feature in the images is the large crater Stickney in the lower right. With a diameter of 9 kilometers (5.6 miles), it is the largest feature on Phobos."
NASA's press release adds: "The new view shows landslides along the walls of Stickney and other large craters: Phobos' striking surface grooves and crater chains; and craters hidden on the moon's dark side illuminated by 'Marsshine'."
Diminutive Phobos is, the New Scientist notes, ultimately doomed since it's "spiralling towards Mars at a rate of 1.8 metres per century". In around 50 million years it will crash into Mars - if the Red Planet's gravity doesn't pull it apart first.
In 2009, Russia will send a robot to the body, which is possibly a captured asteroid, with a view to returning samples to Earth.
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/10/phobos_snaps/
Here is a recent photo from the afore mentioned recently taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. I just love this stuff as it really stretches the minds perception of what we think is out there and what it looks like.
NASA explains that the image was taken "at a distance of about 6,800 kilometers (about 4,200 miles), and is "presented in color by combining data from the camera's blue-green, red, and near-infrared channels".
The blurb continues: "The illuminated part of Phobos seen in the images is about 21 kilometers (13 miles) across. The most prominent feature in the images is the large crater Stickney in the lower right. With a diameter of 9 kilometers (5.6 miles), it is the largest feature on Phobos."
NASA's press release adds: "The new view shows landslides along the walls of Stickney and other large craters: Phobos' striking surface grooves and crater chains; and craters hidden on the moon's dark side illuminated by 'Marsshine'."
Diminutive Phobos is, the New Scientist notes, ultimately doomed since it's "spiralling towards Mars at a rate of 1.8 metres per century". In around 50 million years it will crash into Mars - if the Red Planet's gravity doesn't pull it apart first.
In 2009, Russia will send a robot to the body, which is possibly a captured asteroid, with a view to returning samples to Earth.
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/10/phobos_snaps/
