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Loading contentAn enormous impact structure, hundreds to thousands of kilometres across, formed by a giant early impact — often multi-ringed and later flooded by lava, as with the lunar maria.
A very large, often multi-ringed, impact structure.
One of the largest impact basins in the Solar System, on Mercury, so violent that its antipode is marked by chaotic 'weird terrain' shaken up by the focused seismic waves.
One of the largest visible impact basins in the Solar System and the lowest point on Mars, deep enough that the atmospheric pressure at its floor can allow liquid water briefly.
An enormous impact basin covering much of the south pole of the asteroid Vesta, with a central peak among the tallest in the Solar System. Its excavation launched the HED meteorites.
A giant multi-ring impact structure on Callisto — concentric rings of ridges rippling out from a bright central plain across the most heavily-cratered surface in the Solar System.
Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.