The Martian satellites - 100 years on

Studies of Phobos and Deimos, the two satellites of Mars, may provide the best observations yet of the material populating the asteroid belt. Viking observations of Phobos showing crater chains and striations are analyzed, and Mariner-9 photometry exhibiting the albedo of the satellite is discussed. A mass determination for Phobos results in a value of 1.1 times 10 to the 19th power g; the mean density of the satellite is set at about 2 g per cu cm, a value suggesting formation of the satellite from material in the asteroid belt.