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]

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

  1. "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature | Steno". usgs.gov. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  2. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/stones/

See also

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