The Red Planet’s Gill Crater Lies in Ancient Arabia Terra

Summary: The Red Planet’s Gill Crater lies in ancient Arabia Terra, a battered, upland region primarily occupying the Martian northern hemisphere.

Detail of Arabia Quadrangle, MC-12, shows Gill Crater and its closest, named neighbors in the Martian northern hemisphere’s portion of ancient Arabia Terra: U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Team, Public Domain, via IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) / USGS Astrogeology Science Center

The Red Planet’s Gill Crater lies in ancient Arabia Terra, a densely-cratered upland region primarily located in the Martian northern hemisphere.

Gill Crater is centered at 15.76 degrees north latitude, 5.55 degrees east longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The northern hemisphere impact crater finds its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 16.46 degrees north and 15.06 degrees north, respectively. It sets its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 6.28 degrees east and 4.82 degrees east, respectively. Gill Crater’s diameter measures 83.17 kilometers.

Gill Crater honors British astronomer Sir David Gill (June 12, 1843-Jan. 24, 1914). The IAU approved Gill as the Martian impact crater’s official name in 1973, during the organization’s XVth (15th) General Assembly, held in Sydney, Australia, from Tuesday, Aug. 21, to Thursday, Aug. 30.

Gill Crater appears on the Arabia quadrangle, one of 30 cartographic quadrangles of the Martian surface devised by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Astrogeology Science Program. The Arabia quadrangle, which numbers as Mars Chart 12 (MC-12) in the series, covers 0 degrees to 30 degrees north latitude and 0 degrees to 45 degrees east longitude.

Arabia Terra comprises the northern extent of the Martian southern highlands. The Martian northern lowlands lie to the north of Arabia Terra.

Arabia Terra is centered at 21.25 degrees north latitude, 5.72 degrees east longitude. The topographically battered region records its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 45.36 degrees north and minus 18.07 degrees south, respectively. It registers easternmost and westernmost longitudes of 49.44 degrees east and minus 29.69 degrees west, respectively. At its longest extent, Arabia Terra spans 4,851.74 kilometers.

Capen Crater appears as Gill Crater’s closest named neighbor on the Arabia quadrangle. Capen Crater resides to the southeast of Gill.

Capen Crater is centered at 6.58 degrees north latitude, 14.31 degrees east longitude. It confines its northernmost and southernmost latitudes to 7.16 degrees north and 6 degrees north, respectively. It restricts its easternmost and westernmost longitudes to 14.9 degrees east and 13.73 degrees east, respectively. Capen Crater has a diminutive diameter of 6.58 kilometers.

Capen Crater honors American astronomer Charles F. “Chick” Capen Jr (Jan. 1, 1926-May 28, 1986). The IAU approved Capen as the Martian impact crater’s official name on Jan. 2, 2008.

Henry Crater occurs as Gill Crater’s second closest, named southeastern neighbor on the Arabia quadrangle. Henry Crater lies to the northeast of Capen Crater.

Henry Crater is centered at 10.79 degrees north latitude, 23.45 degrees east longitude. The centrally mounded, large impact crater obtains its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at 12.2 degrees north and 9.38 degrees north, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at 24.89 degrees east and 22.01 degrees east, respectively. Henry Crater has a diameter of 10.79 kilometers.

Henry Crater honors French asteroid-hunting brothers Paul-Pierre Henry (Aug. 21, 1848-Jan. 4, 1905) and Prosper-Mathieu Henry (Dec. 10, 1849-July 25, 1903). Approval of Henry as the Martian impact crater’s official name occurred in 1973.

Maggini Crater occurs as Gill Crater’s closest, named northeastern neighbor on the Arabia quadrangle. The wrinkle-ridged crater is located in northwestern Arabia Terra.

Maggini Crater is centered at 27.78 degrees south latitude, 9.5 degrees east longitude. It posts northernmost and southernmost latitudes of 28.96 degrees north and 26.61 degrees north, respectively. It marks its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 10.83 degrees east and 8.17 degrees east, respectively. Maggini Crater’s diameter measures 27.78 kilometers.

Maggini Crater honors Italian astronomer Mentore Maggini (Feb. 6, 1890-May 8, 1941). The IAU approved Maggini as the Martian impact crater’s official name in 1973.

Pasteur Crater’s location qualifies it as Gill Crater’s second closest, named northeastern neighbor. The duney crater lies to the southeast of Maggini Crater and to the north-northeast of Henry Crater.

Pasteur Crater is centered at 19.31 degrees north latitude, 24.62 degrees east longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes reach 20.29 degrees north and 18.33 degrees north, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes extend to 25.66 degrees east and 23.58 degrees east, respectively. Pasteur Crater’s diameter spans 116.15 kilometers.

Pasteur Crater honors French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur (Dec. 27, 1822-Sept. 28, 1895). Approval of Pasteur as the Martian impact crater’s official name was granted in 1973.

The takeaways for Gill Crater’s occurrence in ancient Arabia Terra are that the Martian impact crater resides in an impact-battered region in the Martian northern hemisphere; that the U.S. Geological Survey mapped Arabia Terra in the Arabia quadrangle, the 12th of the scientific agency’s 30 cartographic quadrangles of the Martian surface; that Capen Crater and Henry Crater occur as Gill Crater’s closest, named southeastern neighbors; and that Maggini Crater and Pasteur Crater qualify as Gill Crater’s closest, named northeastern neighbors.

Gill Crater (center left; crater label inserted) appears in Mars digital-image mosaic merged with color of MC-12 quadrangle of Martian Arabia Terra region; NASA ID PIA00172; image addition date 1998-06-05; image credit NASA/JPL/USGS: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Detail of Arabia Quadrangle, MC-12, shows Gill Crater and its closest, named neighbors in the Martian northern hemisphere’s portion of ancient Arabia Terra: U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Team, Public Domain, via IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) / USGS Astrogeology Science Center @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/mc12_2014.pdf

Gill Crater (center) appears in detail of Mars digital-image mosaic merged with color of MC-12 quadrangle of Martian Arabia Terra region; NASA ID PIA00172; image addition date 1998-06-05; image credit NASA/JPL/USGS: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/pia00172

For further information:

Contopoulos, G. (George); and A. (Arnost) Jappel, eds. XVth General Assembly Transactions of the IAU Vol. XV B Proceedings of the 15th General Assembly and Extraordinary General Assembly Sydney, Australia, August 21-30, 1973. Cambridge UK: Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Jan. 1, 1974.
Available via IAU @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/

Grego, Peter. Mars and How to Observe It. Astronomers’ Observing Guides. New York NY: Springer Science+Business Media, 2012.

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Arabia Terra.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars. Last updated Oct. 1, 2006.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/335

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Capen.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14327

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Gill.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/2164

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Henry.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/2452

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Maggini.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/3580

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Mars System.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/MARS/system

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Pasteur.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/4605

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Target: Mars.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/MARS/target

Lavoie, Sue, site mgr. “PIA00172: MC-12 Arabia Region.” NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal > Catalog. Image addition date: 1998-06-05.
Available @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/pia00172

Marriner, Derdriu. “Gill Crater Honors British Astronomer Sir David Gill.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, June 5, 2013.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2013/06/gill-crater-honors-british-astronomer.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Gill Crater Parents Eight Satellites in Near Side’s South Polar Region.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, June 12, 2013.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2013/06/gill-crater-parents-eight-satellites-in.html