The space probe Hope has taken the first images of an unusual Mars satellite

The United Arab Emirates has obtained the first images of a Mars satellite that has an unusual shape. It's called Deimos.

Here's What We Know

Photos of the space object were taken by the Hope probe as part of the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) programme. It first circled the Red Planet on March 10, 2023.

Scientists believe that the satellite was formed along with Mars and is not an entrapped asteroid. The Hope spacecraft and the EMM mission are expected to help researchers find more evidence to support this theory.

Deimos is tidally bound to Mars like the Moon is to Earth. This means that when observing the satellite from low orbit or the surface of the Red Planet, only one side of the satellite is visible. However, because of its elongated orbit - 40,000 km at its highest point - Hope can take photos of the back side of Deimos.

The probe observed and photographed the satellite from infrared to ultraviolet. The resulting images support the theory that Deimos is formed from the same material as Mars.

The spacecraft weighs 1,350 kg. It costs $200 million. It was launched to Mars in the summer of 2020 and arrived at its destination in February 2021. Initially, Hope would monitor seasonal changes in the Red Planet's atmosphere and weather.

Source: Nature