Schiaparelli Crater

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Lore & Background

Schiaparelli Crater is a real geological feature on Mars, a vast impact basin with a diameter of about 459 kilometers. A crater within Schiaparelli shows many layers that may have formed by the wind, volcanoes, or deposition under water. Layers can be a few meters thick or tens of meters thick. Recent research on these layers suggests that ancient climate change on Mars, caused by regular variation in the planet's tilt, may have caused the patterns in layers. On Earth, similar changes (astronomical forcing) of climate results in ice-age cycles and formation of rhythmites. The regular appearance of rock layers suggests that regular changes in climate may be the root cause. Regular changes in climate may be due to variations of a planet's tilt (called obliquity). The tilt of the Earth's axis changes by only a little more than 2 degrees since the Moon is relatively large. In contrast Mars's tilt varies by tens of degrees. When the tilt is low (current situation on Mars), the poles are the coldest places on the planet, while the equator is the warmest (as on Earth). This could cause gases in the atmosphere, like water and carbon dioxide, to migrate poleward, where they would freeze. When the obliquity is higher, the poles receive more sunlight, causing those materials to migrate away. When carbon dioxide moves from the Martian poles, the atmospheric pressure increases, possibly causing a difference in the ability of winds to transport and deposit sand. Also, with more water in the atmosphere sand grains may stick and cement together to form layers.

In Their Own Story

In the 2011 novel *The Martian* by Andy Weir, and the 2015 feature film adapted from it, Schiaparelli is the landing site for Ares 4, the fourth crewed mission to Mars. The protagonist, Mark Watney, an astronaut from Ares 3 who is stranded on Mars, must travel from Acidalia Planitia to Schiaparelli, a journey of 3,200 kilometers (2,000 miles). This crater is not where Watney initially lands — that is Acidalia Planitia — but it becomes his destination, the site of the Ares 4 mission that will ultimately rescue him. The journey across the Martian surface, covering 3,200 kilometers, is a central challenge in the story, testing Watney's ingenuity and endurance as he uses the rover and other resources to reach the crater where the next crew is scheduled to arrive.

Reader's Guide

For fans of *The Martian*, Schiaparelli Crater is the goal of Mark Watney's epic overland trek. After being stranded at the Ares 3 landing site in Acidalia Planitia, Watney must travel 3,200 kilometers (2,000 miles) to reach Schiaparelli, the designated landing site for Ares 4. This journey is a major plot point, requiring Watney to modify the rover, manage his supplies, and navigate the harsh Martian terrain. The crater itself is not described in detail in the source, but its role as the rescue point makes it a symbol of hope and the culmination of Watney's struggle. The real Schiaparelli Crater, with its layered deposits and scientific interest, provides a fitting backdrop for a story about survival and human determination against the odds.

Did You Know?

• Schiaparelli Crater measures approximately 459 kilometers (285 miles) in diameter.
• The crater was named after Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli, known for his mistranslated term 'canali'.
• A crater within Schiaparelli shows many layers that may have formed by the wind, volcanoes, or deposition under water.
• In *The Martian*, Mark Watney must travel 3,200 kilometers (2,000 miles) from Acidalia Planitia to Schiaparelli.
• The name Schiaparelli was adopted by the IAU's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature in 1973.