Borealis Basin facts for kids
The Borealis Basin, also known as the North Polar Basin, is a huge, flat area found in the northern part of Mars. It's so big it covers almost half of the entire planet! Scientists believe this giant basin might have formed a very long time ago when a super-giant space rock, about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) wide, crashed into Mars. Even though it looks like a massive crater, the IAU hasn't officially called it an "impact basin" yet. The Borealis Basin is one of the flattest places in our entire Solar System. The Viking 1 spacecraft, which landed on Mars, touched down in a spot that opens right into this huge basin.
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What is the Borealis Basin?
The Borealis Basin is like a giant, shallow bowl on the northern side of Mars. It's a very wide and flat area. Think of it as a huge dip in the planet's surface. This basin is so big that it takes up about 40% of Mars. That's almost half of the planet!
How did the Borealis Basin form?
Many scientists think the Borealis Basin was created by a massive collision. They believe a very large space object, like an asteroid or a small planet, crashed into Mars. This giant impact would have happened billions of years ago. The object was huge, about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) across. This is wider than many countries!
Why is it not called an impact basin?
Even though many signs point to a giant impact, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) hasn't officially named it an "impact basin." The IAU is the group that names planets, moons, and features on them. They need more strong evidence to make it official. Scientists are still studying the basin to learn more about its past.
Why is the Borealis Basin special?
The Borealis Basin is one of the flattest places known in our whole Solar System. This makes it a very interesting place for scientists to study. Its flat surface might hold clues about Mars's early history. It could also tell us about how planets form and change over time.
Viking 1's connection
The Viking 1 lander was one of the first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars. Its landing site was in a bay that opens directly into the Borealis Basin. This allowed Viking 1 to study the area close to this massive feature. The information it sent back helped us understand Mars much better.
Images for kids
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The moons of Mars: Phobos and Deimos. Phobos is the larger of the two moons, and is the closer of the two to Mars. Phobos has an average radius of 11 km, while Deimos has an average radius of 6 km.
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Lomonosov crater, the most likely candidate for the impact that produced the tsunami. It is 150 km in diameter, and is a prominent feature of the Borealis basin.
See also
In Spanish: Cuenca Boreal (Marte) para niños
