Why it matters

Menrva shows that crater scarcity is also scientific information: Titan's surface can hide and rework impact traces.

What happenedOne of Titan's few large craters, important because of the moon's dense atmosphere and active surface.
Why it mattersMenrva shows that crater scarcity is also scientific information: Titan's surface can hide and rework impact traces.
How scientists knowGazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature; NASA Image and Video Library

Measurements and uncertainty

Diameter392 km
Depthnot listed
Agerare large Titan crater
StatusConfirmed
Coordinates20.100° N / 87.200° W
Record levelextended

Extended record: core parameters have an editorial baseline, while age, depth, and preservation still require primary-source review.

Scientific profile

Titan requires radar and infrared reading: crater morphology here is tied to atmosphere, precipitation, and organic materials.

Data provenanceGazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature; NASA Image and Video Library

Reconstruction gallery

More visual readings of the crater

If verified imagery is not enough, the profile receives a scientific reconstruction: not fantasy in place of fact, but a visual hypothesis clearly separated from sources.

World paletteicy turquoise, deep space, and distant moons
Scientific reconstruction: radar-like view of a ringed structure on hazy Titan.
Current visual previewBase plate: source image, satellite material, or editorial plate where visual reading begins.
Reverse reconstructionmoving from the present trace back to the impact event
Chronological inversionreading the object from future state back through earlier layers
The present as an archive of the futuretreating today's profile as evidence for future analysis

Visual reconstruction

Reverse reconstruction → Chronological inversion → Bidirectional analysis → The present as an archive of the future

Every profile needs a visualization preview: an existing image, an aesthetically treated source, or a scientific reconstruction.

Reverse reconstructionmoving from the present trace back to the impact event
Chronological inversionreading the object from future state back through earlier layers
Bidirectional analysischecking past-to-present and present-to-past interpretations
The present as an archive of the futuretreating today's profile as evidence for future analysis

Research history

The name was adopted by the IAU in 2006; the feature is known from Cassini data and official nomenclature.

Sources

CSVJSONMenrva on Titan. Crater.world record. Last reviewed 2026-05-08.
Last reviewed
2026-05-08
Source baseline
Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature; NASA Image and Video Library
Uncertainty note
Extended record: core parameters have an editorial baseline, while age, depth, and preservation still require primary-source review.
Gazetteer of Planetary NomenclatureInternational Astronomical Union / USGSNASA Image and Video LibraryNASA

Education mode

Facts

  • Official diameter: about 392 km.
  • Titan has a dense atmosphere, making craters rare.
  • Menrva connects craters with the theme of active surfaces.
Glossaryejecta, impact melt, breccia, central peak, erosion
Classroom questionWhich evidence separates an impact crater from a volcanic caldera?
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