Tiny Mars moon Deimos gets a rare close-up, thanks to Europe's Hera asteroid probe (photos)
Europe's HERA mission has taken a good look at Mars and its moon Deimos on its way to explore the aftermath of the DART impact in the Didymos–Dimorphos asteroid system.
Hera Asteroid Probe Spots Mysterious Martian Moon During Flyby
The Hera probe has swung around Mars, using the planet’s gravitational pull to fling itself toward its asteroid target. During its brief rendezvous with the Red Planet, Hera caught a glimpse of the less-seen side of Mars’ smaller, tidally-locked moon as it orbited its home planet.
Probe captures rare images of moon orbiting Mars
The European Space Agency launched Hera in 2024 to test asteroid-deflection techniques in deep space. The agency aims to improve planetary defense measures.
Mysterious Mars moon captured in unprecedented images by space probe
A space probe named Hera captured images of Mars' small Deimos moon while on a mission to examine an asteroid.
Check Out These Rare Images of Deimos, One of Mars' Mysterious Moons
Hera spacecraft captured rare images of Deimos, one of Mars’ two moons, from 621 miles away while en route to the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos. Like our moon, Deimos is tidally locked to Mars, meaning the same side always faces the planet—the only side visible to rovers on the Martian surface.
ESA’s Hera Probe Captures Stunning Image of Mars’ Moon Deimos During Flyby
Hera spacecraft captured an extraordinary near-infrared image of Mars’ moon Deimos during a flyby of the Red Planet. This marks the first use of Hera’s science instruments, providing a detailed view of Deimos silhouetted against Mars—a rare perspective of the lesser-known Martian moon.
Spinning through space: The astronomers watching the skies for asteroids
"Scientifically there's a huge amount we can learn from asteroids," says Alan Fitzsimmons, an astronomer at Queens University ...
Scientists Potentially Found a Three-Body Problem in Space—but the Mystery Is Just Beginning
Floating around at the edge of the Solar System are leftovers from its formation. This is the Kuiper Belt, which is composed ...
NASA’s Lucy Captures First Images of Asteroid Donaldjohanson Ahead of Close Flyby
Lucy is preparing for a close encounter with the asteroid Donaldjohanson, a key milestone before its groundbreaking journey ...
Science News11d
Citizen scientists make cosmic discoveries with a global telescope network
On balconies and in backyards, Wi-Fi–enabled telescopes are connecting astronomy enthusiasts across six continents.
Video: Time lapse simulation of Hera's Mars flyby
ESA's Hera spacecraft for planetary defense performs a flyby of Mars. The gravity of the red planet shifts the spacecraft's trajectory towards the Didymos binary asteroid system, shortening its trip ...
Space.com19d
NASA picks SpaceX rocket to launch asteroid threat hunter NEO Surveyor in 2027
In November 2021, a Falcon 9 sent NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) probe on its way to the binary asteroid system Didymos. Ten months later, DART slammed into the smaller space rock ...
Euro Weekly News3d
Could the ESA really stop an armageddon? Hera’s Mission holds the answer
On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, the European Space Agency’s planetary defence probe skimmed within 5000 km of the Red ...