| Abstract: | Approximately half of the planetary bodies in our solar system imaged by spacecraft have irregular shapes. Since maps are used to record, interpret and display these irregularly shaped bodies, a special map projection, which can display them faithfully, is desirable. Unfortunately, no mathematical approach that permits true conformal or equal-area projections has been developed. In this paper, a novel approach to construct a special equal area map projection for irregularly shaped objects is suggested. Using this innovative approach, equal area map projections for two Martian satellites—Phobos and Deimos are—developed. |
