Dawes (Martian crater)
Location of Dawes Crater. | |
| Planet | Mars |
|---|---|
| Region | Sinus Sabaeus quadrangle |
| Coordinates | 9°12′S 38°00′E / 9.2°S 38°E |
| Quadrangle | Sinus Sabaeus |
| Diameter | 191 km |
| Eponym | William Rutter Dawes |
Dawes Crater is located in the Sinus Sabaeus quadrangle of Mars, at 9.2 S and 38 E. It is about 191 km (119 mi) in diameter, and was named after William R. Dawes, a British astronomer (1799–1868) who was ahead of his time in believing that Mars only had a thin atmosphere. Dawes presumed that the atmosphere of Mars was thin because surface markings on the planet could easily be seen.