Stickney (crater)

A Big Crater on a Tiny Moon

Stickney) is a very big crater on Phobos, which is a small moon that orbits the planet Mars. This crater is about 9 kilometers, or 5.6 miles, wide — that’s almost as wide as a big city! It is the largest crater on Phobos and can be seen covering much of the moon’s surface.

The crater is named after Chloe Angeline Hall Stickney. She was the wife of the astronomer who discovered Phobos. Thanks to her support, her husband could spend time studying the stars and planets. The name Stickney was given to the crater in 1973 after pictures from the Mariner 9 spacecraft were examined by a team led by Carl Sagan.

Stickney helps scientists learn about space. By studying it, they can understand more about how craters form when space rocks crash into planets and their moons. Even though the crash that made Stickney was very strong, Phobos survived because it has a soft, sponge-like inside. Today, Stickney remains a fascinating spot for space explorers and scientists.