 Dantu crater. | |
| Location | Ceres |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 24°13′N 137°26′E / 24.21°N 137.43°E[1] |
| Diameter | 124.62 kilometres (77.44 mi) |
| Naming | Dantu, the Gã god of planting |
Dantu /ˈdæntuː/ is a large crater on Ceres, located within the Vendimia Planitia. It is rimmed by a number of minor faculae, which together form Bright Spot 2.
The crater is named after Dantu, the timekeeper and first god of planting (millet) of the Gã people of Accra, Ghana.[2]
Dantu is thought to have formed 230+30
−30 Ma (million years) ago, based on the amount of crater impacts present within its ejecta blankets.[3]
The walls of Dantu are quite heavily eroded, with most of the north-eastern wall having collapsed completely.[3] Due to Dantu's relatively young age its crater floor is smooth, with few additional craters present within it.[3] Dantu's floor is also home to a system of fractures, which are mostly located in the south of the crater.[3]
The center of Dantu is home to a peak, with a ring complex around said peak.[4] The majority of Dantu's pit craters surround this feature, with said pit craters largely being between 400 and 900 metres in diameter.[4]
