Isidis Planitia
Egyptian goddess of heaven and fertility. |
Isidis Planitia is a plain located within a giant impact basin on Mars, located partly in the Syrtis Major quadrangle and partly in the Amenthes quadrangle. At approximately 1,900 km (1,200 mi) in diameter,[1] it is the third-largest confirmed impact structure on the planet, after the Hellas and Utopia basins. Isidis was likely the last major basin to be formed on Mars, having formed approximately 3.9 billion years ago during the Noachian period.[2] Due to dust coverage, it typically appears bright in telescopic views, and was mapped as a classical albedo feature, Isidis Regio, visible by telescope in the pre-spacecraft era.
A study reported in
Just to the west of Isidis is Syrtis Major Planum, a low-relief shield volcano that is a prominent dark albedo feature of Mars, which formed after the basin.[4] The westernmost extent is bounded by a subregion, Northeast Syrtis with diverse geology. Around the Isidis basin magnesium carbonate was found by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This mineral indicates that water was present and that it was not acidic, pH conditions more favorable for the evolution of life.[5]
The name Isidis Planitia follows the earlier name Isidis Regio ('region of Isis').
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MOLA map showing boundaries of Isidis Planitia and other regions
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MOLA colorized topographic map showing Isidis Planitia (right) and the adjacent low-relief shield volcano Syrtis Major Planum (left).
Beagle 2
The Beagle 2 lander was about to land in the eastern part of Isidis Planitia in December 2003, when contact with the craft was lost. In January 2015, NASA reported the Beagle 2 had been found on the surface in Isidis Planitia (location is about 11°31′35″N 90°25′46″E / 11.5265°N 90.4295°E).[6][7] High-resolution images captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter identified the lost probe, which appears to be intact.[8][9][10] (see discovery images here)
Mars 2020 mission
In 2018 the
Interactive Mars map
See also
- Geography of Mars
- Geological history of Mars
- Hesperian
- List of plains on Mars
- Mars ocean hypothesis
References
- ^ .
- .
- , E01004
- ISSN 0148-0227.
- JPL. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ Grecicius, Tony; Dunbar, Brian (16 January 2015). "Components of Beagle 2 Flight System on Mars". NASA. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ^ a b Webster, Guy (16 January 2015). "'Lost' 2003 Mars Lander Found by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter". NASA. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- New York Times. Associated Press. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
- ^ Amos, Jonathan (16 January 2015). "Lost Beagle2 probe found 'intact' on Mars". BBC. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
External links