Isidis Planitia

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Isidis Planitia

Topography of Isidis Planitia
Coordinates 12.9° N, 87.0° E
Diameter 1500 km
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Isidis Planitia is a plain located inside a giant impact basin on Mars, centered at 12°54′N 87°00′E / 12.9, 87.0. It is the third biggest impact structure on the planet after the Hellas and Argyre basins – it is about 1500 km in diameter. The Beagle 2 lander was about to land in the eastern part of Isidis Planitia in December 2003 when contact with the craft was lost. Just to the west of Isidis is Syrtis Major, a low-relief shield volcano that is also a prominent dark albedo feature of Mars, which formed after the basin.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hiesinger, H. & Head (publications), J. W. (2004-01-08), “The Syrtis Major volcanic province, Mars: Synthesis from Mars Global Surveyor data”, Journal of Geophysical Research 109 (E1), E01004, doi:10.1029/2003JE002143, <http://www.planetary.brown.edu/pdfs/2763.pdf> 

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