"Exploring Martian Skies: Can Phobos and Deimos Grace the Surface?"

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Source: Astronomy Magazine
"Exploring Martian Skies: Can Phobos and Deimos Grace the Surface?"
Photo: Astronomy Magazine
TL;DR

Both Phobos and Deimos, the two moons of Mars, can be seen from the surface of the planet. Phobos is larger and closer to Mars, appearing as bright as magnitude -9, while Deimos is smaller and farther away, peaking at magnitude -5. Phobos undergoes noticeable waxing and waning during a single appearance, while Deimos takes over 30 hours to orbit and goes through a full set of phases roughly twice from moonrise to moonset. Both moons exhibit lunar phases like Earth's Moon.

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