Wirtz (crater)
 Wirtz Crater Dunes with ripples and frost, as seen by HiRISE | |
| Planet | Mars |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 48°36′S 26°00′W / 48.6°S 26°WCoordinates: 48°36′S 26°00′W / 48.6°S 26°W |
| Diameter | 120.26 km |
| Eponym | Carl Wilhelm Wirtz, German astronomer (1886–1956) |
Wirtz is a crater on Mars, located in Argyre quadrangle at 48.6° south latitude and 26° west longitude. It measures approximately 120 kilometers in diameter and was named after Carl Wilhelm Wirtz, a German astronomer (1886–1956). The name was adopted by IAU's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature in 1973.[1] Wirtz lies on the eastern edge of the large impact crater Argyre Planitia and is next to Galle Crater to the southwest, which looks like a happy face,[2] another prominent crater is Helmholtz to the northeast.
Wirtz has a tiny central peak near the middle towards the west. As to craters in that portion of the planet, gullies are present particularly in the crater rim
Gallery
Topo map showing location of Wirtz Crater and other nearby craters
East side of Writz Crater, as seen by CTX camera (on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter).
Gullies in Writz Crater, as seen by CTX camera (on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter). Note: this is an enlargement of previous image. The picture also shows curved ridges that are probably old glaciers.
See also
References
- ↑ "Wirtz (crater)". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
- ↑ Moore, P. et al. 1990. The Atlas of the Solar System. Cresent Books. NY
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wirtz (crater). |
- Wirtz Crater, Themis – Thermal Emission Imaging System
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