Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Phobos over Mars

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 31, 2023 is “Phobos over Mars,” an image. It is credited to Image Credit: ESA , DLR , FU Berlin , Mars Express ; Processing & CC BY 2.0 License : Andrea Luck. The original explanation runs about 181 words.

A dark irregularly-shaped moon is seen in front of the red planet Mars. Craters are visible in the foreground and the edge of the planet is just visible at the top of the image. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.
Credit: Image Credit: ESA , DLR , FU Berlin , Mars Express ; Processing & CC BY 2.0 License : Andrea Luck Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Why is Phobos so dark? Phobos , the largest and innermost of the two Martian moons, is the darkest moon in the entire Solar System .”

— APOD editors, July 31, 2023

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
July 31, 2023
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit: ESA , DLR , FU Berlin , Mars Express ; Processing & CC BY 2.0 License : Andrea Luck
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 181 words

All of July 2023 → · 2023 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Mars

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: July 31 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.