![]() Photographed by the Mars Global Surveyor, 1999-03-10 | |
Planet | Mars |
---|---|
Coordinates | 51°12′S 30°54′W / 51.2°S 30.9°WCoordinates: 51°12′S 30°54′W / 51.2°S 30.9°W |
Quadrangle | Argyre |
Diameter | 230.0 km |
Eponym | Johann Gottfried Galle |
Galle is a crater on Mars. It is located on the eastern rim of the huge impact basin Argyre Planitia in Argyre quadrangle. It is named after the German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle.[1] Galle is often known as the "happy face crater" because pareidolia causes a curved mountain range in the southern part of the crater and two smaller mountain clusters further north to appear to be a smiley face. The formation was first photographed by Viking Orbiter 1.
A second "happy face crater", smaller than Galle and located at 45.1°S, 55.0°W in Nereidum Montes, was discovered by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on January 28, 2008.[2]
Appearance in Watchmen[edit]
As the smiley is a key motif in the comic book Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, the crater was used as a story location after the coincidence was noted by Gibbons. According to Gibbons, the similarity "was almost too good to be true. I worried that if we put it in, people would never believe it."[3] The crater also appears in the same scene during the film adaptation.
Gallery[edit]
Viking Orbiter 1 mosaic
East side of Galle crater, as seen by CTX camera (on MRO).
Dunes and dust devil tracks in Galle crater, as seen by CTX camera.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Galle". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
- ^ Have a happy day on Mars, The Planetary Society Blog, Feb. 1, 2008
- ^ Web Behrens (February 27, 2009). "'Watchmen': Your guide to watching the big screen adaptation of the comic book". Chicago Tribune.