The new findings reveal, for the first time, regions on the far side of Deimos which have never been compositionally investigated
Photo: Twitter/Sheikh Mohammed
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, hailed the scientists of the Emirates Mars Mission’s (EMM) after UAE’s Hope Probe unveiled a series of unique observations of Mars’ smaller moon, Deimos.
Taking to Twitter on Monday, Sheikh Mohammed said, “In a new global precedent … the Emirates Mars Exploration Project, the “Probe of Hope”, approaches 100km from the Martian moon “Deimos” .. and captures the clearest image obtained by humans of this moon … Theories tell us that this moon is an external asteroid that was captured within the orbit of Mars..”
Supplied photos
The new findings reveal, for the first time, regions on the far side of Deimos which have never been compositionally investigated. The closest flybys saw Hope pass approximately 100km from Deimos.
Close observations of Deimos so far point to a planetary origin, rather than reflecting the composition of a type D asteroid, as had been previously postulated.
The tweet by Sheikh Mohammed further states, “The Hope Probe refutes this theory to prove through its devices and its team that this moon was mostly part of the planet Mars and it separated from it millions of years ago.. just like the Earth's moon.. which was a part of it and separated from it. Proud of our young scientists. Proud of our science. Proud of our contribution to the march of human knowledge.”
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Nandini Sircar has a penchant for education, space, and women's narratives. She views the world through a prism of learning: whether it's the earthly pursuit of wisdom or the unearthly mysteries of space. In her written universe, women and children take centre stage.