Tombaugh (Martian crater)
Tombaugh Crater is an impact crater in the Elysium quadrangle of Mars, located at 3.5°N latitude and 198.2°W longitude. It is 60.3 km in diameter and was named after Clyde Tombaugh, American astronomer (1906–1997), and the name was approved in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN).[1]
West side of Tombaugh (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.
References
- ↑ "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature | Tombaugh". usgs.gov. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ↑ http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/stones/
See also
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