Why it matters

Herschel shows how an impact structure can become the dominant visual fact of an entire moon.

What happenedA giant crater on Saturn's moon Mimas, so large it nearly defines the small world's appearance.
Why it mattersHerschel shows how an impact structure can become the dominant visual fact of an entire moon.
How scientists knowNASA Image and Video Library; Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

Measurements and uncertainty

直径139 km
Depthnot listed
Ageancient impact feature
状态已确认
Coordinates1.380° S / 111.760° W
Record levelminimal

Seed record: coordinates and diameter support navigation, while geology, age, and visual rights need enrichment.

科学档案

The crater's size relative to Mimas highlights the limits of impact processing on small icy bodies.

Data provenanceNASA Image and Video Library; Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

重建图廊

更多陨石坑视觉解读

如果已验证图像不足，档案会补充科学重建：不是用幻想替代事实，而是与来源清晰区分的视觉假设。

世界调色icy turquoise, deep space, and distant moons
Herschel crater occupies a huge share of Mimas's visible disk.
当前视觉预览基础图版：来源图像、轨道资料或编辑图版，视觉解读从这里开始。
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

每张档案都需要视觉预览：现有图像、经过美学处理的来源，或科学重建图。

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

研究历史

The feature is known from Saturn-system missions, including Cassini.

来源

CSVJSONHerschel on Mimas. Crater.world record. Last reviewed 2026-05-08.
Last reviewed
2026-05-08
Source baseline
NASA Image and Video Library; Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature
Uncertainty note
Seed record: coordinates and diameter support navigation, while geology, age, and visual rights need enrichment.
NASA Image and Video LibraryNASAGazetteer of Planetary NomenclatureInternational Astronomical Union / USGS

Education mode

事实

  • The crater diameter is a significant fraction of Mimas itself.
  • Its central peak is especially visible in images.
Glossaryejecta, impact melt, breccia, central peak, erosion
Classroom questionWhich evidence separates an impact crater from a volcanic caldera?
CompareOccator