Gale Crater
![Gale Crater Gale Crater](https://nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov/shared_assets/models/marstrek-galecrater/insideGaleCrater_428x321.png)
The crater is named for Australian astronomer Walter F. Gale (1865-1945). Gale Crater formed when a meteor hit Mars in its early history, about 3.5 to 3.8 billion years ago. The meteor impact punched a hole in the terrain. The explosion ejected rocks and soil that landed around the crater.