Erebus (crater)

This article is about the impact crater on Mars. For other uses, see Erebus (disambiguation).

Erebus
Planet	Mars
Region	Meridiani Planum
Coordinates	2.1°S 5.5°W / -2.1; -5.5
Diameter	~350 metres
Depth	Effectively zero depth
Discoverer	Opportunity rover
Eponym	HMS Erebus

Erebus is a crater on Mars visited by the Opportunity rover on the way to the much larger crater Victoria. It is named after the polar exploration vessel HMS Erebus. The rover was in the immediate vicinity of the crater from approximately sol 550 to 750 (October 2005 to March 2006).

Erebus is located roughly 2,500 meters south of the much smaller crater Vostok, which was previously visited by Opportunity. It is surrounded by what scientists are describing as "etched terrain", a region where rocks peek out from under the sand of Meridiani Planum.

Erebus is about 350 meters wide, twice as large as the crater Endurance. However, it is very old and eroded, and is barely visible from the ground; it appears merely as a number of flat rocky outcrops encircling a region of dunes.

See also

• List of craters on Mars
• Geography of Mars

Other craters visited by Opportunity

• Eagle
• Fram
• Endurance
• Argo
• Vostok
• Beagle
• Emma Dean
• Victoria

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  An outcrop named "Payson", on the western edge of Erebus.

• 

  "Olympia" outcrop on northwestern margin of Erebus

• 

  Color panorama taken by Opportunity on the rim of Erebus. The crater itself can be seen in the center of the pan, at the top.

External links and further reading

Erebus is located near the center of this satellite image.

• Astronomy Picture of the Day from Nov 8 2005 on Erebus and Opportunity Rover
• Grotzinger, et al.; Bell, J.; Herkenhoff, K.; Johnson, J.; Knoll, A.; McCartney, E.; McLennan, S.; Metz, J. et al (2006). "Sedimentary textures formed by aqueous processes, Erebus crater, Meridiani Planum, Mars". Geology 34 (12): 1085–1088. Bibcode 2006Geo....34.1085G. doi:10.1130/G22985A.1. 
• Structure and Sedimentology of the Western Margin of Erebus Crater, Meridiani Planum, Mars