|
|
Phobos Photos
Ron gets a potato-shaped no-prize for bringing us news of new ultra-high resolution photographs of the Martian moon Phobos. It's my understanding (such as it is) that the... Phoboian?... gravity is so weak it's possible to throw an object into orbit. Remember that old cartoon when Bugs throws a baseball in one direction, then waits awhile and catches it coming in the other? Yeah, like that.
I like the "devil's hoofprints" dune configuration in the last photo.
Posted by: Mark on April 16, 2008 02:54 PMIt's also quite possible to jump into orbit, or worse, into Mars's gravity well. Even with the weaker gravity, ten thousand kilometers of acceleration and no atmosphere to drag you down to a terminal velocity will definitely make for a closed casket funeral.
Posted by: Tatterdemalian on April 16, 2008 10:03 PMI know that parachutes can work to some extent there. Guess that'd be the latest in extreme BASE jumps - Phobos to the surface of Mars.
Posted by: ronaprhys on April 17, 2008 06:33 AM