Victoria is an
impact crater on Mars located at 2.05°S, 5.50°W in
Meridiani Planum, visited by the
Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. It is roughly 730 metres wide, nearly eight times the size of the crater
Endurance, visited by Opportunity from
sols 951 It is informally named after
Victoria – one of the five ships of
Ferdinand Magellan and the first ship to
circumnavigate the globe – and
formally named after
Victoria, Seychelles. Along the edges of the crater are many outcrops within recessed alcoves and promontories, named for
bays and capes that Magellan discovered.
Opportunity traveled for 21 months to Victoria before finally reaching its edge on September 26, 2006 (sol 951), Around the rover were features dubbed "No Name", "Duck Crater", "
Emma Dean", "Maid of the Canyon", and "Kitty Clyde's Sister". It also imaged several nearby alcoves, informally named "
Cape Verde" and "Cabo Frio", and a small bright crater the size of
Beagle on the opposite end of Victoria.
Exploration
After arrival at the crater, the rover undertook a partial clockwise circumnavigation. The trip took approximately a quarter of the way around the crater. The various "bays" and "capes"...
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