Steno (Martian crater)
Steno Crater is an impact crater in the Mare Australe quadrangle of Mars, located at 68.0°S latitude and 115.6°W longitude. It is 106.9 km in diameter and was named after Nicolas Steno, and the name was approved in 1973 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN).[1]
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Western side of Steno (Martian crater), as seen by CTX camera (on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter).
Why craters are important
The density of impact craters is used to determine the surface ages of Mars and other solar system bodies.[2] The older the surface, the more craters present. Crater shapes can reveal the presence of ground ice.
References
- ↑ "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature | Steno". usgs.gov. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ↑ http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/stones/
See also
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