Stoney (Martian crater)
Stoney is an impact crater in the Mare Australe quadrangle of Mars, located at 69.8°S latitude and 138.6°W longitude. It measures 161.37 kilometers in diameter and was named after Anglo-Irish physicist George Johnstone Stoney (1826–1911). The name was officially adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature in 1973.[1]
East side of Stoney (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.
See also
References
- ↑ "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature | Stoney". usgs.gov. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ↑ http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/stones/
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