Shahrazad (crater)

EncelGeo-Crater

name=Shahrazad

picture=
Shahrazad crater (center) as seen
by the "Cassini" spacecraft on March 9, 2005

location=48.2°N 195.1°W

diameter=18.5 km

depth=

discoverer="Voyager 2"

naming=Scheherazade; Storyteller of 1001 Nights

Shahrazad is a large crater on Saturn's moon Enceladus first discovered by the "Voyager" spacecraft. It is located at 48.2° North Latitude, 195.1° West Longitude and is approximately 18.5 kilometers across. Shahrazad is the middle crater of a prominent crater triplet on Enceladus' anti-Saturnian hemisphere (there is no evidence that the impacts are related or were formed from break-up of a single body, like Shoemaker-Levy 9). "Voyager" images revealed very little about this crater, however, higher resolution views of Shahrazad taken by the "Cassini" Spacecraft during a close flyby on March 9, 2005 reveal significant north-south fracturing that runs through all three craters of the triplet. Deep canyons mark the northern and eastern portions of Shahrazad's rim. Some evidence for viscous relaxation can be seen, but it is not nearly as significant as at Dunyazad to its immediate south or at Aladdin elsewhere on the satellite.

Shahrazad is named after the Persian story-teller Scheherazade from 1001 Nights, the Heroine who told 1001 tales over as many nights to Shahryar in order to secure her freedom.