ESA's Mars Express has spotted a rare case of a crater once filled by a lake, revealed by the presence of a delta. The delta is an ancient fan-shaped deposit of dark sediments, laid down in water. It is a reminder of Mars' past, wetter climate.
European Space Agency Finds Evidence of Massive Lake on Mars
The European Space Agency's Mars Express has captured fresh images of the planet's surface indicating the existence of a massive lake in the red planet's past. Contained in the Eberswalde crater, the lake's existence was theorised after the Express caught images of a delta on Mars' surface. The delta discovered was a large fan shaped pattern believed to have been formed by deposits within the now dry ancient lake. The crater believed to have housed the lake is estimated to be around 65 km in diameter, with the accompanying delta spanning 115 square km. The delta is thought to have formed more than 3.7 billion years ago when an asteroid hit Mars. Read more
Eberswalde, formerly known as Holden NE, is a partially buried impact crater in Margaritifer Terra, Mars. Eberswalde Crater lies just to the north of Holden Crater, a large crater that may have been a lake. The 65.3-km-diameter crater, centered at 24°S, 33°W, is named after the German town of the same name, in accordance with the International Astronomical Union's rules for planetary nomenclature. Read more