| Lowell | |
|---|---|
The crater Lowell, exhibiting frost deposits on its floor. |
|
| Planet | Mars |
| Diameter | 203.0 km |
Lowell is a crater in Aonia Terra, Mars. Lowell crater is somewhat special in that it has a ring on the floor which gives it a sort of bull's eye appearance. It should be special because it was named after Percival Lowell who build the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona in 1894. He used the observatory to discover over 500 canals on Mars. When pictures were received from spacecraft, the canals were found to be illusions. However, Lowell promoted the idea that they were constructed by an intelligent race. Much of the later interest in Mars exploration resulted from the efforts of Percival Lowell.[1]