Rim (craters)

For other uses of "rim", see rim (disambiguation).

The rim of Endurance Crater on Mars, as seen from the landing site of the Opportunity rover.

The rim of a crater is the part that extends above the height of the local surface, usually in a circular or elliptical pattern. In a more specific sense, the rim may refer to the circular or elliptical edge that represents the uppermost tip of this raised portion. If there is no raised portion, the rim simply refers to the inside edge of the curve where the flat surface meets the curve of the crater bottom.

A side view of a crater, with a raised rim, highlighted in red.