Martian impact basin. Computer artwork of a view across the Argyre impact basin in Mars' Southern Highlands. About 4 billion years ago an asteroid or comet collided with Mars creating this surface feature. A thousand miles across, Argyre is the second-largest impact basin on Mars after Hellas Planitia. The impacting object that created the basin is believed to have been about 30 miles in diameter. Within the basin are the relatively flat plains of Argyre Planitia. To the right is the Galle crater. It is often known as the 'smiley face' or 'happy face' crater because of the illusion of a smiley created by a semicircular mountain range and two smaller craters within the main crater.