---
title: "APOD: 01/29/13 – Stickney Crater"
description: "[![Image Credit: HiRISE, MRO, LPL (U. Arizona), NASA]()]() *Image Credit: HiRISE, MRO, LPL (U. Arizona), NASA*"
date: "2013-01-29"
modified: "2013-01-29"
authors:
  - name: "Joshua Filmer"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/joshuafqtq"
url: "https://futurism.com/apod-012913-stickney-crater"
categories:
  - "From Quarks to Quasars"
---

# APOD: 01/29/13 – Stickney Crater

![Default Futurism featured image](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Futurism-Filler-Image.jpg>)

[![Image Credit: HiRISE, MRO, LPL (U. Arizona), NASA](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Stickney-Crater-1024x759.jpg>)](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Stickney-Crater.jpg>)
*Image Credit: HiRISE, MRO, LPL (U. Arizona), NASA*

This is the Stickney Crater. It is found on the Martian moon [Phobos](<https://futurism.com/phobos-the-martian-moon>), and it is certainly the tiny Moon's largest crater. Named after the wife of the astronomer who discovered both of Mars’ moons, [Asaph Hall](<http://archive.org/details/cu31924029854738>), the crater itself spans about half of the diameter of Phobos. The impact was obviously a dramatic event and probably came close to obliterating the moon.

This image was taken in 2008 by the [Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s](<http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/>) [HiRISE](<http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/>) camera when it made a close pass (within 6,000 kilometers) of Mars' tiny companion. The image is taken in enhanced-color and it reveals two interesting things about the crater. First, we see some streaks that look like material has slid down the crater walls – in spite of Phobos having about 1/1000th Earth’s gravity. Second, there are groove on the surface – these are thought to be related to the devastating impact that caused the crater to form in the first place.

## Author
Joshua specializes in Mathematics and Physics at Portland State University.