Apollo 1 Hills in Martian Gusev Crater Honor Three Apollo Astronauts

Summary: Three hills in Gusev Crater in the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle honor three Apollo 1 astronauts who died in 1967 a pre-launch test.

Westward-looking image obtained by Mars robotic rover Spirit's Panoramic Camera (PanCam) depicts three hills honoring Apollo 1 fallen astronauts Command Pilot Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom, Senior Pilot Edward "Ed" Higgins White II and Pilot Roger Bruce Chaffee; Chaffee Hill (first left), Grissom Hill (second left) and White Hill (right) lie, respectively, 14.3 kilometers (8.9 miles) south-southwest, 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) southwest and 11.2 kilometers (7 miles) northwest of Spirit's landing site: image credit JPL/NASA/Cornell; image addition date 2004-01-27: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal

Three hills lying in Gusev Crater in the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle honor three Apollo 1 astronauts who died in a fire in Apollo One command and service module 12 (CSM-012) during a pre-launch test on Friday, Jan. 27, 1967.

Three hills comprising part of the panoramic view from the site where Spirit settled during the Mars robotic rover's landing Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, have been named in honor of Apollo 1 fallen astronauts Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom (April 3, 1926-Jan. 27, 1967), Senior Pilot Edward "Ed" Higgins White II (Nov. 14, 1930-Jan. 27, 1967) and Pilot Roger Bruce Chaffee (Feb. 15, 1935-Jan. 27, 1967), according to a press release dated Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004, by D.C. (David C.) Agle and Donald Savage. After initially bouncing to a height of 8.4 meters (27.6 feet), Spirit's lander experienced 27 more bounces before rolling to a stop about 250 to 300 meters (270 to 330 yards) from its first impact. The robotic rover settled at minus 14.57 degrees south latitude, 175.47 degrees east longitude (pages 3-4), according to "Mars Exploration Rover," published as NASA Facts by NASA's Pasadena, California-based Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee perished during a fire that flashed through Apollo One command and service module 12 (CSM-012) during a pre-launch test that was being conducted Friday, Jan. 27, 1967. Exactly 37 years after the tragic event, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) honored the three fallen Apollo 1 astronauts by naming three Martian hills west of Mars robotic rover Spirit's landing site in Gusev Crater after them.

Image obtained by robotic space probe Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) shows the three Apollo 1 Hills in relation to site (minus 14.57 degrees south latitude, 175.47 degrees east longitude) where Mars robotic rover Spirit settled after landing Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, at 8:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (NASA Facts: Mars Exploration Rover, pages 3-4): image credit JPL/NASA/Cornell; image addition date 2004-01-27: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal

"Through recorded history explorers have had both the honor and responsibility of naming significant landmarks," 10th NASA Administrator (Dec. 21, 2001-Dec. 13, 2004) Sean Charles O'Keefe (born Jan. 27, 1956) observed in his announcement of the named Martian hills. "Gus, Ed and Roger's contributions, as much as their sacrifice, helped make our giant leap for mankind possible. Today, as America strides towards our next giant leap, NASA and the Mars Exploration Rover team created a fitting tribute to these brave explorers and their legacy."

Gusev Crater is centered at minus 14.53 degrees south latitude, 175.52 degrees east longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The large impact crater draws its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 13.20 degrees south and minus 15.86 degrees south, respectively. It pinpoints its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 176.91 degrees east and 174.15 degrees east, respectively. Gusev Crater's diameter measures 158.12 kilometers.

Gusev Crater is situated in the southeastern quadrant of the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has designated the Aeolis quadrangle as Mars Chart 23 (MC-23) of the agency's 30 cartographic representations of Martian pole-to-pole topography. The Aeolis quadrangle covers the Martian surface latitudinally from zero degrees to minus 30 degrees south and longitudinally from 180 degrees west to 225 degrees west (180 degrees east to 135 degrees east).

Image obtained by robotic space probe Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) shows the seven Columbia Hills in relation to site (minus 14.57 degrees south latitude, 175.47 degrees east longitude) where Mars robotic rover Spirit settled after landing Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, at 8:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (NASA Facts: Mars Exploration Rover, pages 3-4): image credit NASA/JPL/Cornell; image addition date 2004-02-02: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal

On Monday, Feb. 2, 2004, six days after NASA's announcement about memorializing the three Apollo 1 fallen astronauts via three hills in Gusev Crater, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe revealed a similar commemoration for seven fallen Columbia astronauts. Commander Richard "Rick" Douglas Husband (July 12, 1957-Feb. 1, 2003), Pilot William "Willie" Cameron McCool (born William Cameron Graham; Sep. 23, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003), Payload Commander Michael Phillip Anderson (Dec. 25, 1959-Feb. 1, 2003), Mission Specialist 1 David McDowell Brown (April 16, 1956-Feb. 1, 2003), Mission Specialist 2 Kalpana "K.C." Chawla (March 17, 1962-Feb. 1, 2003), Mission Specialist 4 Laurel Blair Salton Clark (March 10, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003) and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon (born Ilan Wolferman; June 20, 1954-Feb 1, 2003) perished during the Columbia STS-107 mission's Earth re-entry on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003.

"These seven hills on Mars are named for those seven brave souls, the final crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia. The Columbia crew faced the challenge of space and made the supreme sacrifice in the name of exploration," Administrator O'Keefe announced. The Columbia commemoration was reported by D.C. (David C.) Agle and Donald Savage in "NASA Dedicates Mars Landmarks to Columbia Crew," published Feb. 2, 2004, on the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) website.

The seven Columbia Hills are sited east of Spirit's landing site in Gusev Crater, according to "PIA05200: NASA Dedicates Mars Landmarks to Columbia Crew," published on the NASA JPL Photojournal website. The seven Columbia Hills observe an alphabetical arrangement. As the most northeasterly occupier, Anderson Hill lies 3 kilometers from the landing site. Brown Hill and Chawla Hill are sited at a distance of 2.9 kilometers. Three kilometers separate Clark Hill from Spirit's landing site. Husband Hill and McCool Hill are distanced from the site by 3.1 and 4.2 kilometers, respectively. As the most southeasterly Columbia Hill, Ramon Hill is found at a distance of 4.4 kilometers from Spirit's landing site.

(left to right) Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward "Ed" White and Roger Chaffee, named March 21, 1966, as prime crew for NASA's first manned Apollo Space Flight, depicted during training in Florida; NASA ID S67-19770; image created Monday, Dec. 12, 1966: Not subject to copyright, via NASA Image and Video Library

Acknowledgment

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

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

Westward-looking image obtained by Mars robotic rover Spirit's Panoramic Camera (PanCam) depicts three hills honoring Apollo 1 fallen astronauts Command Pilot Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom, Senior Pilot Edward "Ed" Higgins White II and Pilot Roger Bruce Chaffee; Chaffee Hill (first left), Grissom Hill (second left) and White Hill (right) lie, respectively, 14.3 kilometers (8.9 miles) south-southwest, 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) southwest and 11.2 kilometers (7 miles) northwest of Spirit's landing site: image credit JPL/NASA/Cornell; image addition date 2004-01-27: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00414

Image obtained by robotic space probe Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) shows the three Apollo 1 Hills in relation to site (minus 14.57 degrees south latitude, 175.47 degrees east longitude) where Mars robotic rover Spirit settled after landing Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, at 8:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (NASA Facts: Mars Exploration Rover, pages 3-4): image credit JPL/NASA/Cornell; image addition date 2004-01-27: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05155

Image obtained by robotic space probe Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) shows the seven Columbia Hills in relation to site (minus 14.57 degrees south latitude, 175.47 degrees east longitude) where Mars robotic rover Spirit settled after landing Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, at 8:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (NASA Facts: Mars Exploration Rover, pages 3-4): image credit NASA/JPL/Cornell; image addition date 2004-02-02: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05200

(left to right) Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward "Ed" White and Roger Chaffee, named March 21, 1966, as prime crew for NASA's first manned Apollo Space Flight, depicted during training in Florida; NASA ID S67-19770; image created Monday, Dec. 12, 1966: Not subject to copyright, via NASA Image and Video Library @ https://images.nasa.gov/details/S67-19770

For further information:

Agle, D.C. (David C.); and Donald Savage. "Martian Landmarks Dedicated to Apollo 1 Crew." NASA Science Mars Exploration > Mars Exploration Rovers MER > News > Newsroom > Press Releases. Jan. 27, 2004.
Available @ https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/newsroom/pressreleases/20040127b.html

Agle, D.C. (David C.): and Donald Savage. "NASA Dedicates Mars Landmarks to Columbia Crew." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory > News > Solar System. Feb. 2, 2004.
Available @ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-dedicates-mars-landmarks-to-columbia-crew

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Gusev.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/Gusev

Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "PIA05155: NASA Dedicates Martian Landmarks To Apollo 1 Crew." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal. Image Credit: JPL/NASA/Cornell. Image Addition Date: 2004-01-27.
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05155

Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "PIA05200: NASA Dedicates Mars Landmarks to Columbia Crew." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell. Image Addition Date: 2004-02-02.
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05200

Marriner, Derdriu. "Gusev Crater in Southern Mars Honors Russian Astronomer Matvey Gusev." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/04/gusev-crater-in-southern-mars-honors.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Hills in Martian Columbia Hills Honor Seven Astronauts Who Died in 2003." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, May 22, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/05/hills-in-martian-columbia-hills-honor.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Ilan Ramon Had Moon Landscape Drawing by Petr Ginz on Columbia Shuttle." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/ilan-ramon-had-moon-landscape-drawing.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar Chawla Crater Honors Columbia Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/lunar-chawla-crater-honors-columbia.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar D. Brown Crater Honors Columbia Mission Specialist David Brown." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/lunar-d-brown-crater-honors-columbia.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar Far Side Husband Crater Honors Columbia Commander Rick Husband." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/lunar-far-side-husband-crater-honors.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar Far Side McCool Crater Honors Columbia Pilot William McCool." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/lunar-far-side-mccool-crater-honors.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar Far Side Ramon Crater Honors First Israeli Astronaut Ilan Ramon." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.
Available @

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar L. Clark Crater Honors Columbia Mission Specialist Laurel Clark." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/lunar-l-clark-crater-honors-columbia.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "M. Anderson Crater Honors Columbia Payload Commander Michael Anderson." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/m-anderson-crater-honors-columbia.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "NASA Tags Mars Rover Spirit's Landing Site as Columbia Memorial Station." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, May 15, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/05/nasa-tags-mars-rover-spirits-landing.html

NASA Announcement. "Martian landmarks dedicated to Apollo 1 crew." Spaceflight Now > Mars News Archive > Mars Exploration Rovers. Posted Jan. 27, 2004.
Available via Spaceflight Now @ https://spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/040127apollohills.html

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "Mars Exploration Rover." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory NASA Facts.
Available @ https://d2pn8kiwq2w21t.cloudfront.net/documents/mars03rovers_t6lfTK7.pdf

Three Named Craters and One Channel Overlap Gusev Crater's Rim on Mars

Summary: Three named craters and one channel overlap Gusev Crater's rim in the southeastern quadrant of the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle.

Large ancient river channel Ma'adim Vallis (top left) flows over rim crater New Plymouth (top center at channel's west bank) into interior of Gusev Crater; topography data obtained by Mars Global Surveyor robotic space probe has been draped over by 2001 Mars Odyssey robotic spacecraft orbiter camera system's mosaic of daytime infrared images of Gusev Crater; mosaic area's southward-looking simulated view, covering approximately 180 kilometers (110 miles) on each side, is centered near minus 14 degrees south latitude, 175 degrees east longitude; image credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University; Thursday, March 13, 2003: via NASA Science Mars Exploration

Downe, New Plymouth and Zutphen craters and Ma'adim Vallis occur as three named craters and one named channel that distinctively overlap Gusev Crater's rim in the southeastern quadrant of the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle.

Gusev Crater is a large impact crater occupying the Aeolis quadrangle in the Martian southern hemisphere. The Aeolis quadrangle is designated as Mars Chart 23 (MC-23) by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in the agency's mapping of the Martian surface. Thirty quadrangles serve as pole-to-pole cartographic representations of Martian topography.

Gusev Crater is centered at minus 14.53 degrees south latitude, 175.52 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The impact crater attains its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 13.20 degrees south and minus 15.86 degrees south, respectively. It achieves its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 176.91 degrees east and 174.15 degrees east, respectively. Gusev Crater's diameter spans 158.12 kilometers.

Gusev Crater has experienced significant morphological modification since its impactful formation, as described by planetary geologists David A. Crown, James W. Rice, Steven W. Ruff and Stephen P. Scheidt and senior research associate Frank C. Chuang in "Geologic Mapping of Gusev Crater, Mars: Gusev Rim and Floor Characteristics," presented at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and U.S. Geological Survey's 2021 Annual Meeting of Planetary Geologic Mappers (PGM), which was held virtually Monday, June 14, to Tuesday, June 15. Small impact craters have made extensive modifications to the southern and western portions of Gusev Crater's rim.

Also, the northern extent of outflow channel Ma'adim Vallis breached the impact crater's southern rim at the point already modified by Downs and New Plymouth craters and extended onto Gusev Crater's interior floor (page ROV 19-6), as delineated by planetary geologist Keith S. Milam and seven co-authors in "THEMIS characterization of the MER Gusev crater landing site," published in the December 2003 issue of Journal of Geophysical Research Planets JGR Planets. Additionally, large terrace deposits uniquely characterize Gusev Crater's eastern-southeastern rim (David A. Crown et al., "Geologic Mappling of Gusev Crater, Mars: Gusev Rim and Floor Characteristics").

Zutphen Crater occupies the most northwesterly position of the three named craters that have modified Gusev Crater's rim. A breach in the northwestern rim near Zutphen Crater marks the northern reach of a smooth plains unit, speckled with a moderate density of small craters, that has spread across the floor from the terminus of outflow channel Ma'adim Vallis (Keith S. Milam, et al., page ROV 19-6).

Zutphen Crater is centered at minus 13.85 degrees south latitude, 174.32 degrees east longitude. It limits its northernmost and southernmost latitudes to minus 13.53 degrees south and minus 14.18 degrees south, respectively. It confines its easternmost and westernmost longitudes to 174.65 degreees east and 173.99 degrees east, respectively. Zutphen Crater has a diameter of 38.29 kilometers.

Downe and New Plymouth craters are positioned to the distant southeast of Zutphen Crater. Downe's position of extending southwestward from southwestern New Plymouth qualifies it as the most southwesterly of Gusev Crater's three named rim craters.

Downe Crater is centered at minus 15.98 degrees south latitude, 175.78 degrees east longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes are noted as minus 15.74 degrees south and minus 16.22 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes are listed as 176.03 degrees east and 175.54 degrees east, respectively. Downe Crater's diameter measures 28.13 kilometers.

North Plymouth Crater is centered at minus 15.78 degrees south latitude, 175.87 degrees east longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes are obtained at minus 15.51 degrees south and minus 16.04 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes are secured at 176.15 degrees east and 175.60 degrees east, respectively. North Plymouth Crater has a diameter of 31.54 kilometers.

Ma'adim Vallis distinctively overlies Downe and North Plymouth craters at Gusev Crater's south-southeastern rim. The outflow channel traversed the two rim craters in its terminal journey northward to Gusev Crater's southern interior floor.

Ma'adim Vallis is centered at minus 21.98 degrees south latitude, 177.50 degrees east longitude. The channel invokes northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 15.61 degrees south and minus 28.15 degrees south. It affirms its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 178.38 degrees east and 175.65 degrees east, respectively. Ma'adim Vallis has a diameter, or length, of 913.11 kilometers.

The International Astronomical Union approved Downe, New Plymouth and Zutphen in 2003 as names for three craters on Gusev Crater's rim. The IAU's XXV (25th) General Assembly was held in 2003 from Saturday, July 12, to Saturday, July 26, in Sydney, Australia.

The craters' names observed the convention of naming "Small craters (approximately 50 km and smaller)" on Mars and Martian satellites after "Small towns and villages of the world with populations of approximately 100,000 or less." Downe, New Plymouth and Zutphen honor towns in England, the U.S. state of Idaho and the Netherlands, respectively. Downe in located in the London Borough of Bromley in South East England. New Plymouth is sited in Payette County, southwestern Idaho, in the northwestern United States. Zutphen is a city and municipality in Gelderland province, also known as Guelders, in the central-east Netherlands.

Detail from Aeolis, MC-23, shows Gusev Crater with Downe, New Plymouth and Zutphen as three named rim craters and northward-flowing Ma'adim Vallis traversing overlapped Downe and New Plymouth craters on Gusev's southern rim for dobouchement to Gusev's interior floor; Base image: THEMIS IR Day mosaic by USGS, ASU Margin image: THEMIS IR Global Mosac v11.6, ASU Colorized Topography: MOLA Elevation Model, GSFC Date of Last Nomenclature Update: Nov. 9, 2022: via IAU (International Astronomical Union) and USGS ASC (U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center)

Acknowledgment

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

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

Large ancient river channel Ma'adim Vallis (top left) flows over rim crater New Plymouth (top center at channel's west bank) into interior of Gusev Crater; topography data obtained by Mars Global Surveyor robotic space probe has been draped over by 2001 Mars Odyssey robotic spacecraft orbiter camera system's mosaic of daytime infrared images of Gusev Crater; mosaic area's southward-looking simulated view, covering approximately 180 kilometers (110 miles) on each side, is centered near minus 14 degrees south latitude, 175 degrees east longitude; image credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University; Thursday, March 13, 2003: via NASA Science Mars Exploration @ https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/7647/gusev-crater/

Detail from Aeolis, MC-23, shows Gusev Crater with Downe, New Plymouth and Zutphen as three named rim craters and northward-flowing Ma'adim Vallis traversing overlapped Downe and New Plymouth craters on Gusev's southern rim for dobouchement to Gusev's interior floor; Base image: THEMIS IR Day mosaic by USGS, ASU Margin image: THEMIS IR Global Mosac v11.6, ASU Colorized Topography: MOLA Elevation Model, GSFC Date of Last Nomenclature Update: Nov. 9, 2022: via IAU (International Astronomical Union) and USGS ASC (U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center) @ https://asc-planetarynames-data.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mc23_2014.pdf

For further information:

The European Space Agency. "Craters, lava flows and tectonic features near Ma'adim Vallis." The European Space Agency > Science & Exploration. July 24, 2009.
Available via ESA (European Space Agency) @ https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Mars_Express/Craters_lava_flows_and_tectonic_features_near_Ma_adim_Vallis

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Downe.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/1634

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Gusev.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/Gusev

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Ma'adim Vallis.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Oct. 1, 2006 3:30 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/3772

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “New Plymouth.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/4231

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Small craters (approximately 50 km and smaller). Small towns and villages of the world with populations of approximately 100,000 or less. This category is simply a large source of crater names. No commemoration of specific towns or villages is intended.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Documentation > Surface Feature Categories > Categories (Themes) for Naming Features on Planets and Satellites > Mars and Martian Satellites: Mars.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Page/Categories

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Zutphen.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:59 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/6768

Leverington, David W. "Incision of Ma’adim Vallis (Mars) by dry volcanic megafloods effused from multiple highland sources." Planetary and Space Science, vol. 1919 (Oct. 15, 2020): 105021.
Available via ScienceDirect @ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0032063320300064

Marriner, Derdriu. "Gusev Crater in Southern Mars Honors Russian Astronomer Matvey Gusev." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/04/gusev-crater-in-southern-mars-honors.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Martian Crater Galdakao Nudges Jagged Northeastern Rim of Gusev Crater." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/04/martian-crater-galdakao-nudges-jagged.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Three Named Craters Distinguish Central Floor in Gusev Crater on Mars." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/04/three-named-craters-distinguish-central.html

Milam, Keith A.; Karen R. Stockstill; Jeffrey E. Moersch; Harry Y. McSween Jr.; Livio L. Tornabene; Amitabha Ghosh; Michael B. Wyatt; and Phillip R. Christensen."THEMIS characterization of the MER Gusev crater landing site." JGR Planets Journal of Geophysical Research Planets, vol. 108, issue E12 (December 2003): 8078 (ROV 19-1 to ROV 19-24).
Available via Wiley Online Library @ https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21699100

Platt, Jane, ed. "Gusev Crater." NASA Science Mars Exploration > Multimedia > Images.
Available via NASA Science Mars Exploration @ https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/7647/gusev-crater/

Platt, Jane, ed. "What's in a Name? It Depends on Who's Doing the Naming." NASA Science Mars Exploration > Mars Exploration Rovers MER > Spotlight. June 2, 2004.
Available via NASA Mars Exploration Rovers MER @ https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/spotlight/spirit/a24_20040602.html

Three Named Craters Distinguish Central Floor in Gusev Crater on Mars

Summary: The three named craters of Castril, Crivitz and Thira distinguish the central floor in the Martian southern hemisphere's Gusev Crater.

Detail from Aeolis, MC-23, shows (left to right) Crivitz, Castril and Thira as three floor craters in central Gusev Crater in the Martian southern hemisphere; Base image: THEMIS IR Day mosaic by USGS, ASU Margin image: THEMIS IR Global Mosac v11.6, ASU Colorized Topography: MOLA Elevation Model, GSFC Date of Last Nomenclature Update: Nov. 9, 2022: via IAU (International Astronomical Union) and USGS ASC (U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center)

The three named craters of Castril, Crivitz and Thira distinguish the central floor of Gusev Crater, a large impact crater located in the Aeolis quadrangle in the Martian southern hemisphere.

Gusev Crater occurs in the southeastern quadrant of Aeolis quadrangle. Designated as Mars Chart 23 (MC-23), the Aeolis quadrangle numbers among the 30 cartographic quadrangles of the Martian surface created by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Gusev Crater is centered at minus 14.53 degrees south latitude, 175.52 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The impact crater achieves its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 13.20 degrees south and minus 15.86 degrees south, respectively. It attains its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 176.91 degrees east and 174.15 degrees east, respectively. Gusev Crater's diameter spans 158.12 kilometers.

Castril, Crivitz and Thira distinguish Gusev Crater's central interior as three variously-sized floor craters. Crivitz is positioned as the trio's westernmost component. Castril dips approximately midway between Crivitz and the trio's easternmost member, Thira.

Crivitz Crater is centered at minus 14.55 degrees south latitude, 174.79 degrees east longitude. The trio's westernmost crater finds its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 14.50 degrees south and minus 14.60 degrees south, respectively. It obtains its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 174.85 degrees east and 174.74 degrees east, respectively. Crivitz Crater has a diameter of 6.19 kilometers.

Castril Crater is sited southeast of Crivitz Crater and southwest of Thira Crater. Castril Crater is centered at minus 14.70 degrees south latitude, 175.30 degrees east longitude. The trio's middle member establishes its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 14.68 degrees south and minus 14.72 degrees south, respectively. It marks its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 175.32 degrees east and 175.28 degrees east, respectively. Castril Crater's diameter of 2.19 kilometers qualifies it as the trio's smallest crater.

Thira Crater (center left) is large crater on Gusev Crater's central interior floor in southward-looking simulated view of mosaic obtained by 2001 Mars Odyssey robotic spacecraft orbiter camera system; large ancient river channel Ma'adim Vallis (top left) enters Gusev by breaching southeastern rim's New Plymouth Crater (top center, at Ma'adim's west bank); mosaic's daytime infrared images of Gusev Crater, which cover approximately 180 kilometers (110 miles) on each side, is centered near minus 14 degrees south latitude, 175 degrees east longitude; image credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University; Thursday, March 13, 2003: via NASA Science Mars Exploration

Thira Crater's placement on Gusev Crater's central eastern floor qualifies as the trio's most northerly- and most easterly-positioned member. Thira Crater's interior floor presents "smooth volcanic plains," according to planetary geologists David A. Crown, James W. Rice, Steven W. Ruff and Stephen P. Scheidt and senior research associate Frank C. Chuang in "Geologic Mapping of Gusev Crater, Mars: Gusev Rim and Floor Characteristics," presented at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and U.S. Geological Survey's 2021 Annual Meeting of Planetary Geologic Mappers (PGM), which was held virtually Monday, June 14, to Tuesday, June 15.

Thira Crater is centered at minus 14.47 degrees south latitude, 175.98 degrees east longitude. It registers its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 14.29 degrees south and minus 14.66 degrees south, respectively. It records its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 176.17 degrees east and 175.79 degrees east, respectively. Thira Crater's diameter of 21.84 kilometers qualifies it as the trio's largest crater.

Gusev Crater's name honors 19th-century Russian astronomer Matvey Matveyevich Gusev (Russian: Матве́й Матве́евич Гу́сев; Nov. 28 [O.S. Nov. 16], 1826-April 22 [O.S. April 10], 1866). Gusev Crater received formal name approval in 1976 during the International Astronomical Union’s XVIth (16th) General Assembly, which was held Tuesday, Aug. 24, to Tuesday, Sept. 21, in Grenoble, France.

Interior crater Thira's name honors the "Town on Santorini Island in the Aegean Sea," according to the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Thira is the capital (Ancient Greek: Θήρα, Thira) of Santorini (Ancient Greek: Σαντορίνη, Santorini), the largest island in the south Aegean Sea's Santorini archipelago. The approval was dated 1997, during the IAU's XXIII (23rd) General Assembly, which was held Monday, Aug. 18, to Saturday, Aug. 30, in Kyoto, Japan.

Crivitz honors the "Town in Germany." Criviz is located in northeastern Germany's state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania). The crater's German town-honoring name was approved in 2003. The IAU's XXV (25th) General Assembly was held from Saturday, July 12, to Saturday, July 26, 2003, in Sydney, Australia.

Castril honors the "Town in Spain." Castril is a municipality in Southern Spain's province of Granada (Spanish: Provincia de Granada). Castril received name approval in 2006. The IAU's XXVI (26th) General Assembly was held in Prague, Czech Republic, from Monday, Aug. 14, to Saturday, Aug. 25, 2006.

Overhead view, obtained by 2001 Mars Odyssey robotic orbiter's Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), suggests Thira Crater's youthfulness with smooth volcanic plains and defined edges and features (upper right) in contrast with possibly buried crater (lower left); Castril Crater lies north of buried crater and west-southwest of Thira Crater; NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal, "PIA06019: A Buried Crater?" Image Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU. Image Addition Date: 2004-06-03: 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.

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

Detail from Aeolis, MC-23, shows (left to right) Crivitz, Castril and Thira as three floor craters in central Gusev Crater in the Martian southern hemisphere; Base image: THEMIS IR Day mosaic by USGS, ASU Margin image: THEMIS IR Global Mosac v11.6, ASU Colorized Topography: MOLA Elevation Model, GSFC Date of Last Nomenclature Update: Nov. 9, 2022: via IAU (International Astronomical Union) and USGS ASC (U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center) @ https://asc-planetarynames-data.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mc23_2014.pdf

Thira Crater (center left) is large crater on Gusev Crater's central interior floor in southward-looking simulated view of mosaic obtained by 2001 Mars Odyssey robotic spacecraft orbiter camera system; large ancient river channel Ma'adim Vallis (top left) enters Gusev by breaching southeastern rim's New Plymouth Crater (top center, at Ma'adim's west bank); mosaic's daytime infrared images of Gusev Crater, which cover approximately 180 kilometers (110 miles) on each side, is centered near minus 14 degrees south latitude, 175 degrees east longitude; image credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University; Thursday, March 13, 2003: via NASA Science Mars Exploration @ https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/7647/gusev-crater/

Overhead view, obtained by 2001 Mars Odyssey robotic orbiter's Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), suggests Thira Crater's youthfulness with smooth volcanic plains and defined edges and features (upper right) in contrast with possibly buried crater (lower left); Castril Crater lies north of buried crater and west-southwest of Thira Crater; NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal, "PIA06019: A Buried Crater?" Image Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU. Image Addition Date: 2004-06-03: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06019

For further information:

Andersen, J. (Johannes), ed. XXIIIrd General Assembly Transactions of the IAU Vol. XXIII B Proceedings of the 23rd General Assembly Kyoto, Japan, August 18-30, 1997. Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, Jan. 1, 1999.
Available via IAU @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/

Crown, David A.; Frank C. Chuang; James W. Rice; Steven W. Ruff; and Stephen P. Scheidt. "Geologic Mapping of Gusev Crater, Mars: Gusev Rim and Floor Characteristics." 2021 Annual Meeting of Planetary Geologic Mappers, Virtual, June 14-15, 2021. LPI (Lunar and Planetary Institute) Contribution No. 2610. Abstract No. 7020.
Available via USRA (Universities Space Research Association) @ https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/pgm2021/pdf/7020.pdf

Engvold, Oddbjørn, ed. XXVth General Assembly Transactions of the IAU Vol. XXV B Proceedings of the 25th General Assembly Sydney, Australia, July 12-26, 2003. San Francisco CA: The Astronomical Society of the Pacific, July 22, 2008.
Available via IAU @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Castril.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/1051

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Crivitz.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/1335

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Gusev.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/Gusev

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Thira.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/5973

Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "PIA06019: A Buried Crater?" NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/ASU. Image Addition Date: 2004-06-03.
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06019

Marriner, Derdriu. "Gusev Crater in Southern Mars Honors Russian Astronomer Matvey Gusev." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/04/three-named-craters-distinguish-central.html

Müller, E. (Edith); and A. (Arnost) Jappel, eds. XVIth General Assembly Transactions of the IAU Vol. XVI B Proceedings of the 16th General Assembly Grenoble, France, August 24-September 21, 1976. Cambridge UK: Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Jan. 1, 1977.
Available via IAU @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/

Plataforma SINC. "Santorini volcano, a new terrestrial analogue of Mars." Phys.org > Astronomy & Space > Space Exploration. June 25, 2019.
Available via Phys.org @ https://phys.org/news/2019-06-santorini-volcano-terrestrial-analogue-mars.html

van der Hucht, Karel, ed. XXVIth General Assembly Transactions of the IAU Vol. XXVI B Proceedings of the 26th General Assembly Prague, Czech Republic, August 14-25, 2006. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press, Dec. 30, 2008.
Available @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/

Gusev Crater in Southern Mars Honors Russian Astronomer Matvey Gusev

Summary: Gusev Crater, a large impact crater sited in the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle, honors 19th-century Russian astronomer Matvey Gusev.

Panoramic mosaic of western Martian sky obtained, at approximate distance of 50 miles (80 kilometers), via Panoramic Camera's (Pancam) 750-nanometer, 530-nanometer and 430-nanometer color filters on rover Spirit's 489th Martian day (sol 489), Thursday, May 19, 2005, around 6:07 p.m., captures sunset at rim of Martian southern hemisphere's Gusev Crater, with rocky outcrop named Jibsheet in foreground: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal

Gusev Crater, which occurs as a large impact crater in the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle, honors 19th-century Russian astronomer Matvey Gusev.

Gusev Crater occupies the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle, designated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as MC-23 (Mars Chart 23). The USGS has divided the surface of Mars into 30 cartographic quadrangles. The Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) produced the precise topographic maps, which comprehensively portray the Martian surface from the south polar ice cap to the north polar ice cap. Gusev Crater is located in the Aeolis quadrangle's southeastern quadrant.

Gusev Crater is centered at minus 14.53 degrees south latitude, 175.52 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The impact crater defines its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 13.20 degrees south and minus 15.86 degrees south, respectively. It demarcates its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 176.91 degrees east and 174.15 degrees east, respectively. Gusev Crater's diameter spans 158.12 kilometers.

Galdakao Crater nudges Gusev Crater's northeastern rim. It is centered at minus 13.34 degrees south, 176.63 degrees east. It arrives at its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 13.06 degrees south and minus 13.62 degrees south, respectively. It parameterizes its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 176.92 degrees east and 176.34 degrees east, respectively. Galdakao Crater's diameter measures 33.44 kilometers.

Apollinaris Mons lies to the north as Gusev Crater's largest, nearest, named, craterous northern neighbor. It occurs as a southern hemisphere "volcanic construct" inhabiting "the transition zone between the northern lowlands and southern highlands" (Figure 1, page 386), as described by Planetary Science Institute (PSI) senior research associate Frank C. Chuang and PSI senior scientists David A. Crown and Daniel C. Berman in "Geology of the northeastern flank of Apollinaris Mons, Mars: Constraints on the erosional history from morphology, topography, and crater populations," published in the Nov. 15, 2019, issue of Icarus.

Apollinaris Mons is centered at minus 9.17 degrees south latitude, 174.79 degrees east longitude. The volcano's northernmost and southernmost latitudes extend to minus 6.88 degrees south and minus 11.47 degrees south, respectively. Its easternment and westernmost longitudes stretch from 176.40 degrees east to 172.66 degrees east, respectively. Apollinaris Mons has a diameter of 275.40 kilometers.

Apollinaris Patera designates the caldera that formed with the emptying of the underground magma chamber in Apollinaris Mons. Patera defines as "An irregular crater, or a complex one with scalloped edges," according to the Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature's list of Descriptor Terms (Feature Types).

Apollinaris Patera is centered at minus 8.57 degrees south, 174.18 degrees east. The caldera finds its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 7.92 degrees south and minus 9.22 degrees south, respectively. It obtains its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 174.91 degrees east and 173.43 degrees east, respectively. Apollinaris Pateria's diameter measures 80.60 kilometers.

Gusev Crater, which occurs as a large impact crater in the Martian southern hemisphere, honors 19th-century Russian astronomer Matvey Gusev, hosts the landing site for Mars robotic rover Spirit and contains the Apollo 1 Hills and the Columbia Hills; Detail from Aeolis, MC-23, shows Gusev Crater with northward-flowing Ma'adim Vallis debouching to Gusev's southern rim; Base image: THEMIS IR Day mosaic by USGS, ASU Margin image: THEMIS IR Global Mosac v11.6, ASU Colorized Topography: MOLA Elevation Model, GSFC Date of Last Nomenclature Update: Nov. 9, 2022: via IAU (International Astronomical Union) and USGS ASC (U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center)

De Vaucouleurs Crater is sited to the west as Gusev Crater's largest, nearest, named, craterous western neighbor. The "huge" crater's "mix of features" includes some "chaotic terrain," as described in NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Photojournal post, "PIA23905: de Vaucouleurs Crater."

De Vaucouleurs Crater is centered at minus 13.31 degrees south, 171.00 degrees east. The huge crater registers its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 10.78 degrees south and minus 15.88 degrees south, respectively. It records its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 173.62 degrees east and 168.38 degrees east, respectively. De Vaucouleurs Crater's diameter spans 302.27 kilometers.

Kayne Crater resides to the west of southwestern Gusev Crater. It is centered at minus 15.50 degrees south, 173.56 degrees east. Kayne Crater expresses its northernmost and southernmost latitudes as minus 15.21 degrees south and minus 15.78 degrees south, respectively. It pinpoints its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 173.86 degrees east and 173.27 degrees east, respectively. Kayne Crater has a diameter of 33.82 kilometers.

The International Astronomical Union formally approved Gusev Crater's name in 1976 during the organization’s XVIth (16th) General Assembly, which was held Tuesday, Aug. 24, to Tuesday, Sept. 21, in Grenoble, France. The crater honors 19th-century Russian astronomer Matvey Matveyevich Gusev (Russian: Матве́й Матве́евич Гу́сев; Nov. 28 [O.S. Nov. 16], 1826-April 22 [O.S. April 10], 1866). Gusev was associated with Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory (Russian: Пулковская астрономическая обсерватория, Pulkovskaya astronomicheskaya observatoriya), located on Pulkovo Heights (Russian: Пу́лковские высо́ты) south of Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербург), northwestern Russia. He relocated to Vilnius University Astronomical Observatory (Lithuanian: Vilniaus universiteto astronomijos observatorija ) in southeastern Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuva; Russian: Литва, Litva) in 1852.

Gusev served twice as interim director at Vilnius Observavtory. His first interim directorship occurred in 1854, in the transition between Russian astronomer Georg Albert Fuss's (1806--1854) directorship (1847 to 1854) and Russian astronomer Georg Sabler's (April 18, 1810-1865) directorship (1854 to 1865). Gusev's second interim directorship occurred in 1865 to 1866, in the transition to Sabler's successor, Russian astronomer and geodesist Pjotr Smyslow's (1827--1891), directors from 1866 to 1882, according to "Outstanding Astronomical Heritage: Vilnius observatory, Lithuania," posted on UNESCO's Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative's Portal to the Heritage of Astronomy.

Gusev's achievements include founding the first mathematics- and physics-based journal in Russia. He started the Bulletin of Mathematical Sciences (Russian: Вестник математических наук, Vestnik matematicheskikh nauk) in 1860.

Proving the non-sphericity of the lunar orbit around Earth in 1860 in "О состоянии Луны" ("On the State of the Moon") numbers among his astronomical firsts. His photographs of the moon, the sun and sunspots qualify him as a pioneer in the application of photography to astronomy.

undated portrait of 19th-century Russian astronomer Matvey Gusev, eponym of the Martian southern hemisphere's Gusev Crater: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Acknowledgment

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

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

Panoramic mosaic of western Martian sky obtained, at approximate distance of 50 miles (80 kilometers), via Panoramic Camera's (Pancam) 750-nanometer, 530-nanometer and 430-nanometer color filters on rover Spirit's 489th Martian day (sol 489), Thursday, May 19, 2005, around 6:07 p.m., captures sunset at rim of Martian southern hemisphere's Gusev Crater, with rocky outcrop named Jibsheet in foreground: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/pia07997

Gusev Crater, which occurs as a large impact crater in the Martian southern hemisphere, honors 19th-century Russian astronomer Matvey Gusev, hosts the landing site for Mars robotic rover Spirit and contains the Apollo 1 Hills and the Columbia Hills; Detail from Aeolis, MC-23, shows Gusev Crater with northward-flowing Ma'adim Vallis debouching to Gusev's southern rim; Base image: THEMIS IR Day mosaic by USGS, ASU Margin image: THEMIS IR Global Mosac v11.6, ASU Colorized Topography: MOLA Elevation Model, GSFC Date of Last Nomenclature Update: Nov. 9, 2022: via IAU (International Astronomical Union) and USGS ASC (U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center) @ https://asc-planetarynames-data.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mc23_2014.pdf

undated portrait of 19th-century Russian astronomer Matvey Gusev, eponym of the Martian southern hemisphere's Gusev Crater: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaizdas:Matvejus_Gusevas.jpeg

For further information:

Bolles, Dana. "Sunset at Mars’ Gusev Crater (Spirit)." NASA Science > Resource.
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/pia07997
Available via NASA Science @ https://science.nasa.gov/resource/sunset-at-mars-gusev-crater-spirit/

Cabrol, Nathalie A.; Edmond A. Grin; Michael H. Carr; Brad Sutter; Jeffrey M. Moore; Jack D. Farmer; Ronald Greeley; Ruslan O. Kuzmin; David J. DesMarais; Marc G. Kramer; Horton Newsom; Charles Barber; Ivan Thorsos; Kenneth L. Tanaka; Nadine G. Barlow; David A. Fike; Mary L. Urquhart; Brian Grigsby; Frederick D. Grant; and Olivier de Goursac. "Exploring Gusev Crater with Spirit: Review of science objectives and testable hypotheses." Journal of Geophysical Research Planets JGR Planets, vol. 108, issue E12 (December 2003): 17-1 to 17-21.
Available via AGU Pubs @ https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2002JE002026

Chuang, Frank C.; David A. Crown; and Daniel C. Berman. "Geology of the northeastern flank of Apollinaris Mons, Mars: Constraints on the erosional history from morphology, topography, and crater populations." Icarus, vol. 333 (Nov. 15, 2019: 385-403).
Available via ScienceDirect @ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019103518306869

The European Space Agency. "Ancient caldera in Apollinaris Patera." ESA The European Space Agency > Science & Exploration. 09/06/2006.
Available via ESA @ https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Mars_Express/Ancient_caldera_in_Apollinaris_Patera

Golombek, M. P.; L. S. Crumpler; J. A. Grant; R. Greeley; N. A. Cabrol; T. J. Parker; J. W. Rice Jr.; J. G. Ward; R. E. Arvidson; J. E. Moersch; R. L. Fergason; P. R. Christensen; A. Castaño; R. Castaño; A. F. C. Haldemann; R. Li; J. F. Bell III; and S. W. Squyres. "Geology of the Gusev cratered plains from the Spirit rover transverse." Journal of Geophysical Research Planets JGR Planets, vol. 111, issue E2 (February 2006): E02S07.
Available via AGU Pubs @ https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2005JE002503
Available via AGU Pubs @ https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2005JE002503

Greeley, Ronald, Ruslan O. Kuzmin; Scot C. R. Rafkin; Timothy I. Michaels; and Robert Haberle. "Wind-related features in Gusev crater, Mars." Journal of Geophysical Research Planets JGR Planets, vol. 108, issue E12 (December 2003): 8077 [ROV 18-1 to 18-12].
Available via AGU Pubs @ https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2002JE002006
Available via AGU Pubs @ https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2002JE002006

Greicius, Tony; and Naomi Hartono. "Gusev Crater." NASA JPL > Images. Jan. 2, 2004.
Available via NASA JPL @ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/pia05119-gusev-crater
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05119

Gussew. "Über die Gestalt des Mondes von H. Gussew. (Lu le 14 octobre 1859)." Pages 276-300. Bulletin de l'Académie impériale des sciences de St.-Pétersbourg. Tome premier. St.-Pétersbourg: Imprimerie de l`Académie Impériale des Sciences, 1860.
Available via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33521849

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Apollinaris Mons.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Sep. 19, 2007 11:45 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14307

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Apollinaris Patera.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Jun 27, 2008 1:07 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/323

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Columbia Vallis.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Oct. 30, 2008 9:57 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14151

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “de Vaucouleurs.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/1447

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Galdakao.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/2070

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Gusev.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/Gusev

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Kayne.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/2972

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Patera, paterae PE An irregular crater, or a complex one with scalloped edges.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Documentation > Descriptor Terms (Feature Types).
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/DescriptorTerms

Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "PIA00183: MC-23 Aeolis Region." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/USGS. Image Addition Date: 1998-06-05.
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00183

Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "PIA05119: Gusev Crater." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems. Image Addition Date: 2004-01-02.
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05119

Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "PIA07997: A Moment Frozen in Time." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Texas A&M/Cornell. Image Addition Date: 2005-06-10.
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00183

Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "PIA23905: de Vaucouleurs Crater." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU. Image Addition Date: 2020-05-08.
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23905

Kuzmin, R.O.; R. Greeley; R. Landhelm; and N. Cabrol. "Geologic mapping of Gusev Crater-Ma'adim Vallis Region, Mars." Page 779. Abstract 1318. Lunar and Planetary Science XXVIII: Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Twenty-eighth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, March 17-21, 1997. Houston TX: Lunar and Planetary Institute, 1997.
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1997LPI....28..779K
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1997LPI....28..779K

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Available via IAU @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/

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