Washington, US

NASA has released a striking new image of Phobos, Mars' larger and oddly shaped moon, often referred to as the "space potato" due to its lumpy and irregular shape.

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Phobos, which measures about 17 by 14 by 11 miles (27 by 22 by 18 kilometres), lacks the gravitational strength to form a spherical shape like Earth's Moon.

This unique structure is a result of its small size and weak gravity, giving it an appearance reminiscent of a potato.

Phobos' peculiar form is highlighted in the image captured by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

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The image, taken against the backdrop of the dark expanse of space, shows the moon's brownish-red, crater-filled surface.

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Notably, a prominent white patch is visible next to Stickney crater, one of the largest craters on Phobos' right side. Even after its seemingly static presence, Phobos is on a slow yet inevitable collision course with Mars.

The moon is gradually inching closer to the Red Planet at a rate of about six feet (1.8 metres) every hundred years. At this pace, scientists predict that Phobos will either crash into Mars or break apart into a ring around the planet in approximately 50 million years.

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The HiRISE camera, which has been studying Mars since 2006, continues to provide invaluable insights into the Martian environment and its moons.

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Deimos

Deimos, the smaller and more distant moon, orbits Mars at an average distance of about 23,500 kilometres (14,600 miles).

It is also irregularly shaped but has a smoother appearance compared to Phobos, with fewer large craters and a more uniform surface covered by a thick regolith.

Its most significant features include two craters named Swift and Voltaire. Deimos' orbit is slowly moving it away from Mars, but this process is happening at a much slower rate.

(With inputs from agencies)