Deimos

Deimos is a fascinating moon in our Solar System that has captured the attention of astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. With a Deimos radius of 6.2 km, making it 1027.6× smaller than Earth's size, this celestial body presents unique characteristics that distinguish it from other objects in our cosmic neighborhood. Positioned at an average distance of 23,459 km (0.000 AU) from the Sun, Deimos occupies a significant place in the Solar System's architecture. As a moon, Deimos demonstrates the incredible diversity of natural satellites that orbit larger celestial bodies throughout our Solar System.

The Deimos physical characteristics reveal a world of remarkable dimensions and properties. The Deimos radius measures 6.2 km, making it 1027.6× smaller than Earth's size. The equatorial radius of 7.8 km and polar radius of 5.1 km create a slight flattening of 34.62%, indicating the planet's rotation affects its shape. The Deimos mass of 1.48e+15 kg represents 4045522287.0× smaller than Earth's mass, giving this world substantial gravitational influence. With a volume of 1.00e+4 km³, Deimos occupies significant space in the Solar System. The Deimos density of 1.75 g/cm³ (3.1× smaller than Earth's density) provides clues about its internal composition, while the surface gravity of 0.003 m/s² (3270.0× smaller than Earth's gravity) determines how objects behave on its surface. The low density indicates a composition dominated by lighter elements, characteristic of gas giants or icy bodies.

The Deimos orbit reveals fascinating details about its journey around the Sun and its relationship to other Solar System objects. The Deimos orbit has a semimajor axis of 23,459 km (0.000 AU), placing it 6377.0× smaller than Earth's distance from the Sun. At its closest approach (perihelion), Deimos comes within 23,456 km of the Sun, while at its farthest point (aphelion), it reaches 23,471 km, creating a 0.1% variation in solar distance. The Deimos orbit is nearly circular with an eccentricity of 0 (83.5× smaller than Earth's orbital eccentricity), resulting in relatively stable solar heating throughout its year. The Deimos orbit takes 0.00 hours to complete (24997742.1× smaller than Earth's orbital period), defining the length of its year. The orbital inclination of 1.075° indicates how much the Deimos orbit is tilted relative to the Solar System's ecliptic plane. This low inclination means Deimos follows a path very close to the plane where most planets orbit, suggesting a stable formation history.

The Deimos rotation and axial orientation provide crucial insights into its daily and seasonal cycles, as well as its orbital dynamics. The Deimos rotation period of 0.01 hours (2843.8× smaller than Earth's rotation period) determines the length of its day. This extremely fast rotation creates intense centrifugal forces and may contribute to the planet's flattened shape. The Deimos axial tilt of 0° determines the intensity and nature of seasonal variations. With minimal axial tilt, Deimos experiences virtually no seasonal changes, maintaining relatively constant temperatures throughout its year. The orbital orientation parameters reveal additional details about Deimos's position in space. The mean anomaly of 0° indicates the planet's current position in its orbit relative to its perihelion. The argument of periapsis of 0° shows how the orbit's orientation changes over time due to gravitational perturbations. The longitude of ascending node of 0° defines the reference point where the orbit crosses the ecliptic plane.

The Deimos temperature and atmospheric conditions are fundamental to understanding its habitability and environmental characteristics. The Deimos average temperature of 0.0 K (-273.1 °C) (-459.7°F) provides the baseline for understanding its climate. These extremely cold temperatures make Deimos inhospitable to life as we know it, with any atmosphere likely frozen solid on the surface. Compared to Earth's average temperature of 15°C (59°F), Deimos presents a dramatically different thermal environment. Being closer to the Sun than Earth, Deimos receives more intense solar radiation, contributing to its temperature profile.

The Deimos escape velocity and shape characteristics reveal important details about its gravitational field and rotational dynamics. The Deimos escape velocity of 5.556 m/s (2013.3× smaller than Earth's escape velocity) determines how easily objects can break free from its gravitational pull. This relatively low escape velocity means that gases and light molecules can easily escape into space, making it difficult for Deimos to retain a substantial atmosphere. The Deimos flattening of 34.6154% indicates how much the planet's rotation affects its shape. This significant flattening indicates rapid rotation that has substantially deformed the planet's shape, creating a pronounced equatorial bulge. The equatorial radius of 7.8 km compared to the polar radius of 5.1 km demonstrates this rotational deformation.