Largest Impact
Craterutopia-planitiaCurrently, there are actually three candidates that could claim the title of largest impact crater, which goes to show how quickly our perception of the universe can change and evolve as our knowledge increases.Interestingly, all three of these craters are on Mars. The first one is called Hellas Planitia. With a diameter of 2,300 kilometers (1,400 mi), this is the smallest crater out of all the candidates. However, it is also the only one which we know for sure was actually formed as the result of an impact. Even so, evidence from Utopia Planitia has all but confirmed it being an impact crater as well. With a diameter of 3,300 kilometers (2,050 mi), it is significantly larger than Hellas Planitia.And it is possible that both of them are tiny compared to the actual largest crater in the solar system. Called the Borealis Basin (pictured above), it has a massive diameter of 8,500 kilometers (5,300 mi), almost three times as large as Utopia Planitia. However, it has not yet been confirmed as an impact crater. If it is, it would have to be the result of an enormous impact, and its formation could give us valuable insight into the creation of Mars as a planet.
Craterutopia-planitiaCurrently, there are actually three candidates that could claim the title of largest impact crater, which goes to show how quickly our perception of the universe can change and evolve as our knowledge increases.Interestingly, all three of these craters are on Mars. The first one is called Hellas Planitia. With a diameter of 2,300 kilometers (1,400 mi), this is the smallest crater out of all the candidates. However, it is also the only one which we know for sure was actually formed as the result of an impact. Even so, evidence from Utopia Planitia has all but confirmed it being an impact crater as well. With a diameter of 3,300 kilometers (2,050 mi), it is significantly larger than Hellas Planitia.And it is possible that both of them are tiny compared to the actual largest crater in the solar system. Called the Borealis Basin (pictured above), it has a massive diameter of 8,500 kilometers (5,300 mi), almost three times as large as Utopia Planitia. However, it has not yet been confirmed as an impact crater. If it is, it would have to be the result of an enormous impact, and its formation could give us valuable insight into the creation of Mars as a planet.
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