Everything You Need to Know About Mars’ Mysterious Moons
If you attach meaning to planets or are simply curious about celestial bodies, you might wonder about Mars moons. They’re natural satellites that astronomers couldn’t confirm until less than 200 years ago. Meanwhile, many celestial bodies have been a part of civilizations for thousands of years.
Now, there is more information about these moons. In fact, astronomy organizations such as the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency are planning to gather samples to better understand them.
In this blog, we’ll reveal the names of Mars’ moons and explore their features and origins. But first, let’s dive into how astronomers discovered them.
The Discovery of Mars’ Moons
For over 400 years, speculation has been ongoing about Mars’s natural satellites. It started with Johannes Kepler’s misunderstanding of Galileo’s writings, which referred to Saturn’s rings. Yet this misunderstanding spurred astronomers and writers to ponder whether there are moons near this planet.
Around 200 years after the first speculations of the presence of these moons, Asaph Hall began to search for them. After two years of using a US Naval Observatory telescope, this American astronomer found Mars’ two moons in 1877.
Ever since their discovery, there has never been a successful mission to visit these moons. However, using physics, mathematics, and imagery, astronomers were able to gain more information about them. Now, there are missions in various stages to collect samples from their surfaces.
How Many Moons Does Mars Have?
Mars has two moons:
- Phobos – the larger of Mars’ two moons
- Deimos – the smaller moon
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Theories of Martian Moons’ Origin
There are many theories regarding the origin of Mars’s moons. Most popular ones are:
They’re Ex-Asteroids
One of the theories suggests that Phobos and Deimos are captured asteroids. Their irregular shapes resemble those of carbonaceous asteroids. However, their current orbits and other characteristics do not support this theory.
They’re the Results of a Giant Impact
Another theory suggests that there was a massive collision between Mars and other celestial bodies. These moons are formed as a result of their debris.
They’ve Been Formed from Rock and Dust Around Mars
Some scientists believe that Phobos and Deimos have been formed from a disk of rock and dust surrounding Mars. This material could have accumulated over time and gradually formed the moons we observe today.
They’re Remnants of a Shattered Moon
A more recent theory suggests that the moons are remnants of a larger moon that was shattered by a catastrophic event. The debris from this event could have resulted in these smaller moons.
What Are the Names of the Moons on Mars?
Though Asaph Hall discovered these satellites, their names don’t originate from him. The Academic Henry Madan proposed them, and they come from European mythology.
Around Mars, there are these two orbiting moons:
Name Mars’s Moons
The names of Mars’s moons, Phobos and Deimos, are derived from Greek mythology. Phobos means “fear,” and Deimos means “dread.” These names were chosen by astronomer Asaph Hall, who discovered the moons in 1877.
Phobos
Mars’ larger moon is Phobos. Its name comes from the Greek pantheon and is the grandson of Zeus and Hera. Phobos is the son of the God of war, Ares, who personalizes destructive force. However, in the Roman pantheon, the God of war is Mars, who is more of a paternalistic force that brings peace.
In ancient Greek, Phobos refers to the ‘fear’ and ‘panic’ that individuals feel during war. In fact, in Greek mythology, he followed his father, Ares, into battle, showing the inevitability of feeling fear during a war.
Deimos
The other name of Mars moon is Deimos. Its name also comes from the Greek pantheon. He is the son of Ares and the twin brother of Phobos. His name means ‘dread’ or ‘terror’, continuing the theme of fear during the battle.
Despite riding into battle with Ares in Greek mythology, this deity did not have a major role in the pantheon beyond aiding his father. By comparison, Mars’ twins had a greater importance in their civilization. In particular, Romans revered Romulus as the founder of their nation.
The Features of Phobos
Now that you know the names of Mars’ moons , let’s explore the features of the larger one.
Shape and Size
Phobos has an irregular shape. More specifically, it’s more angular than round. It’s also smaller in size than the Earth’s moon, with a diameter of 13.8 miles.
Furthermore, it has gouges on its surface. The largest one is the Stickney crater. This feature covers nearly half of the moon. This name comes from the mathematician Chloe Stickney, the wife of the astronomer who discovered this moon.
Orbit
This moon orbits Mars three times each day. It orbits this planet so often because it’s very close to its surface. In fact, it’s the moon that’s closest to its planet in our solar system. It will likely collide with Mars or deteriorate into a ring around the planet in 50 million years. Moreover, due to its extreme proximity, it’s only visible in some parts of Mars.
Composition
This moon has a surface that astronomers think consists of carbonaceous chondrite or a similar substance. This black material is often present on asteroids and is a C-type of rock. However, astronomers think the surface is powdery and prone to landslides due to meteorite impact.
Temperature
This moon has one side that faces the sun while the other remains in darkness. Since only one side faces the sun, its temperature is much higher: 25°F or -4°C. Meanwhile, the colder, darker side has a low temperature of -170°F or -112°C.
The Features of Deimos
Deimos is Mars’ moon’s other name, and it shares many features with Phobos. In particular, it has the following features:
Shape and Size
Deimos has an irregular shape and a small size compared to the Earth’s moon, which is similar to Phobos. However, it’s even smaller than Phobos, with a diameter of 7.8 miles.
Orbit
Deimos orbits its planet every 1¼ day. Though Deimos is smaller than Phobos, its orbit is slower. This is partly due to its larger distance from Mars compared to the other moon.
Composition
Similarly to Phobos, astronomers think this moon has a dark body that consists of C-type materials on its top layer. Though there are no physical samples, astronomers have used the technology and formulas to determine that its surface is similar to asteroids.
The Origin of Mars’ Moons
Though astronomers thoroughly documented the origin of Mars’ names of moons, how they formed isn’t unclear. There are multiple theories as to how they formed. Most of these theories rely on a collision. This collision could have been against Mars or a larger asteroid that then split into these two moons.
It’s also possible that these moons were one rock that split apart due to gravitational pull. Alternatively, they could have formed when nearby celestial bodies entered Mars’ orbit and couldn’t escape its gravitational pull.
Conclusion
Now you know that the names of Mars’ moons are Phobos and Deimos. These names come from the Greek pantheon but are also tied to the Roman God of war, Mars. Though there has never been a successful mission to the surface of either of these moons, astronomers have determined their size and plausible composition. In addition, they’re the smallest moons in our solar system and very close to their planet. So, they have a quick orbit.
FAQs
What are the names of the moons on Mars?
The names of the moons on Mars are Phobos and Deimos. These two small satellites are the only known moons orbiting this planet.
How many moons are there on Mars?
Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos. Though tiny compared to Earth’s moon, their odd shapes and mysterious origins make them exciting subjects for astronomers worldwide. Together, they make up the complete names of the moons we know today.
What do Phobos and Deimos mean?
Names of Mars moons come from Greek mythology. Phobos means “fear,” and Deimos means “dread.” They were the sons of Ares (the Greek god of war), who was known as Mars in Roman mythology.
