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Caloris basin

Caioris is Latin for heat and the basin is named this because it is near the subsolar point (the point closest to the sun) when Mercury is at aphelion. Caloris basin is 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) in diameter and is the largest known structure on Mercury. It was formed from an impact of a projectile with asteroid dimensions. The interior floor of the basin contains smooth plains but is highly ridged and fractured. The large impactor is believed to be buried below the floor of the crater and contributes to the uneven mass of the planet.

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  • Category: Geology
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