Li Fan (crater)
 Li Fan Crater showing central mound, as seen by CTX camera (on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter). | |
| Planet | Mars |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 47°12′S 153°12′W / 47.2°S 153.2°WCoordinates: 47°12′S 153°12′W / 47.2°S 153.2°W |
| Diameter | 104.8 km |
| Discoverer | Mariner 4 (1965) |
| Eponym | Li Fan (Han dynasty) |
Li Fan is an impact crater in the Phaethontis quadrangle of Mars, located at 47.2°S latitude and 153.2°W longitude. It is 104.8 kilometers in diameter and was named after Li Fan, and the name was approved in 1973.[1] Impact craters generally have a rim with ejecta around them, in contrast volcanic craters usually do not have a rim or ejecta deposits. As craters get larger (greater than 10 km in diameter) they usually have a central peak.[2] The peak is caused by a rebound of the crater floor following the impact.[3] The picture on this page shows the central peak of Li Fan Crater.
Nearby prominent craters include Ptolemaeus to the west and Hipparchus to the northeast. South is a valley known as Tader Valles.
The first close-up of the crater was discovered by Mariner 4 in 1965 and was the 14th photo taken during its flyby, the southernmost rim were not photoed until Mariner 9 in 1971, the same time, more details of the crater were photoed.
See also
References
- ↑ "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature | Li Fan". usgs.gov. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ↑ http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/slidesets/stones/
- ↑ Hugh H. Kieffer (1992). Mars. University of Arizona Press. ISBN 978-0-8165-1257-7. Retrieved 7 March 2011.