Central-peak crater

When scientists explore the surface of a planet or moon, they often find craters. These are holes in the ground that were caused by a big object hitting the surface really hard a long time ago.

Sometimes, when an object hits the surface, it can make a very special kind of crater called a central-peak crater. These craters are different from other holes in the ground because they have a big bump in the middle. It's like when you make a mud pie and put your finger in the middle to make a little hill.

The big bump in the middle of the central-peak crater is made of rock and dirt that was pushed up from the center of the hole when the object hit. Scientists can study these central-peak craters to learn more about how the planet or moon was formed and what kinds of things have hit it in the past.