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What is the Herschel crater on Mimas?
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Saturn
Saturn and its spectacular rings, in a natural-color composite of 126 images taken by the Cassini spacecraft on October 6, 2004. The view is directed toward Saturn's southern hemisphere, which is tipped toward the Sun. Shadows cast by the rings are visible against the bluish northern hemisphere, while the planet's shadow is projected on the rings to the left.
The Herschel crater is the most prominent feature on Mimas, a moon of Saturn. It is a massive impact crater located near the center of the moon's leading hemisphere.1
Key details about the Herschel crater include:
- Dimensions: It measures 130 km (80 miles) in diameter, making it one of the largest impact structures relative to the size of its host body in the solar system.1
- Structure: The crater features outer walls reaching 5 km (3 miles) in height, a floor 10 km (6 miles) deep, and a central peak rising 6 km (4 miles).1
- Appearance: Due to its size and the moon's small diameter of 397 km (247 miles), the crater gives Mimas a distinct appearance often compared to the Death Star from the Star Wars franchise.1
The crater is named after William Herschel, the English astronomer who discovered Mimas in 1789.1