A Doomed Moon Orbiting Mars

Phobos is spiraling toward Mars and will eventually crash into the planet or shatter into a ring of debris. It completes an orbit so quickly that it crosses the Martian sky twice every single day.

Unlike our stable Moon, Phobos is caught in a death spiral that brings it several centimeters closer to the Martian surface every year. This tiny, potato-shaped moon is essentially held together by very weak gravity and will likely be torn apart by tidal forces before it reaches the surface. Once destroyed, the remains of the moon will form a beautiful, temporary ring around the red planet. It is fascinating to realize that our neighboring planet may soon have its own ring system.