News in Brief Planetary Science

Phobos to create ring around the Red Planet

Martian moon doomed to crumble into orbiting rubble, simulations suggest

Phobos in 1977

DOOMED MOON Stickney crater (left) on Phobos, seen in this 1977 image from Viking 1, helped researchers predict that the moon will crumble into a ring around the Red Planet.

NASA

By Christopher Crockett

- More than 2 years ago

Poor Phobos. The Martian moon is not only cracking under pressure, but will eventually shatter and form a ring around the Red Planet, a new study suggests.