Rheasilvia
Southern hemisphere of Vesta as imaged by Dawn, showing Rheasilvia crater | |
| Location | South polar region, Vesta |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 71°57′S 86°18′E / 71.950°S 86.300°E |
| Diameter | 505 km (314 mi) |
| Peak | 19–22 km (12–14 mi) (central peak) |
| Discoverer | Hubble Space Telescope |
| Eponym | Rhea Silvia, a mythological vestal virgin and mother of the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus |
Rheasilvia /ˌriːəˈsɪlviə/ is the largest impact crater on the asteroid Vesta. It is 505 km (314 mi) in diameter, which is 90% the diameter of Vesta itself, and is 95% the mean diameter of Vesta, 529 km (329 mi). However, the mean is affected by the crater itself. It is 89% the mean equatorial diameter of 569 km (354 mi), making it one of the largest craters in the Solar System, and at 75°S latitude, covers most of the southern hemisphere. The peak in the center of the crater is 200 km (120 mi) in diameter, and rises 19–22 km (12–14 mi; 62,000–72,000 ft) from its base, making it one of the tallest mountains known in the Solar System.