JPL
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
JPL Logo
JPL Logo
Image

Venus - Crater 'Stefania' in N. Sedna Planitia

Jet Propulsion Laboratory https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ Nov. 20, 1996
This image from NASA's Magellan spacecraft is of Crater Stephania in northern Sedna Planitia on Venus. It is one of the smaller craters on Venus.

Crater Stephania is located at 51.3 degrees latitude, 333.3 degrees longitude in northern Sedna Planitia on Venus. With a diameter of 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) it is one of the smaller craters on Venus. Because many small meteoroids disintegrate during their passage through the dense atmosphere, there is an absence of craters smaller than 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) in diameter, and even craters smaller than 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) are relatively scarce. The apron of ejected material suggests that the impacting body made contact with the surface from an oblique angle. Upon closer observation it is possible to delineate secondary craters, impact scars from blocks ejected from the primary crater. A feature associated with this and many other Venusian craters is a radar-dark halo. Since dark radar return signifies a smooth surface, it has been hypothesized that an intense shock wave removed or pulverized previously rough surface material or that a blanket of fine material was deposited during or after the impact.

Download JPG
Download TIFF
Mission
Target
  • Venus
Spacecraft
  • Magellan
Instrument
  • Radar System
Credit
NASA/JPL

Keep Exploring

Surface Warmth on a Venus Volcano

Venus Hemispherical Globes (with place names)

Venus Hemispherical Globes

Magellan's Perspective View of Ovda Regio, 15° N, 77° E

Magellan's View of Crater Markham, 0° N, 163° E

Sedna Planitia (Right Member of a Synthetic Stereo Pair)

Magellan's Perspective View of Sedna Planitia, 45° N, 350° E

Magellan's Perspective View of Ovda Regio, 0° S, 129° E

Magellan's Perspective View of Sedna Planitia, 45° N, 11° E

Sedna Planitia (Left Member of a Synthetic Stereo Pair)

About JPL
Who We Are
Directors
Careers
Internships
The JPL Story
JPL Achievements
Documentary Series
JPL Annual Report
Executive Council
Missions
Current
Past
Future
All
News
All
Earth
Solar System
Stars and Galaxies
Eyes on the News
Subscribe to JPL News
Galleries
Images
Videos
Audio
Podcasts
Apps
Visions of the Future
Slice of History
Robotics at JPL
Events
Lecture Series
Speakers Bureau
Calendar
Explore JPL
Visit
Public Tours
Virtual Tour
Directions and Maps
Explore JPL
Topics
JPL Life
Solar System
Mars
Earth
Climate Change
Exoplanets
Stars and Galaxies
Robotics
More
Asteroid Watch
NASA's Eyes Visualizations
Universe - Internal Newsletter
Social Media
Accessibility at NASA
Contact Us
Get the Latest from JPL
Follow Us

JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by Caltech.

More from JPL
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
Acquisition
JPL Store
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
Acquisition
JPL Store
Related NASA Sites
Basics of Spaceflight
NASA Kids Science - Earth
Earth / Global Climate Change
Exoplanet Exploration
Mars Exploration
Solar System Exploration
Space Place
NASA's Eyes Visualization Project
Voyager Interstellar Mission
NASA
Caltech
Privacy
Image Policy
FAQ
Feedback
Version: v3.2.0 - 54b6266
Site Managers:Emilee Richardson, Alicia Cermak
Site Editors:Steve Carney
CL#:21-0018