Friday, May 2, 2008

APOD 3.4


Stickney crater is the largest crater on Phobos, which is a satellite of Mars. It is located at 5°S 55°W on Phobos and is 9 km in diameter, taking up a substantial proportion of the moon's surface. It is named after Chloe Angeline Stickney Hall, wife of Phobos's discoverer, Asaph Hall. It has a smaller, unnamed crater within it, resulting from a later impact. Grooves and crater chains appear to radiate from Stickney, and had led to theories that the impact that formed it nearly destroyed the moon. It is possible that Stickney is large enough to be seen with the naked eye from the surface of Mars. It is located at the middle of the left edge of Phobos's face, on the Mars-facing side. This incredible picture of Stickney was taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as it passed within six thousand kilometers of Phobos last month.

No comments: