Challenger Deep Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard (back) and U.S. Navy officer Don Walsh making their descent to the Challenger Deep aboard the bathyscaphe Trieste in 1960. (more) Challenger Deep submarine feature, Pacific Ocean Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/place/Challenger-Deep Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/place/Challenger-Deep Written by Michelle Castro Michelle Castro is a Cuban-Chicana freelance contributor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. Michelle Castro, John P. Rafferty John P. Rafferty writes about Earth processes and the environment. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate to... John P. Rafferty•All Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep 25, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Challenger Deep, series of three seafloor basins located at the bottom of a steep-walled submarine valley in the Mariana Trench of the western Pacific Ocean, at 11°22′ N 142°35′ E. The Challenger Deep is the lowest point of the oceans and Earth’s lowest point with respect to surface elevation, plunging to an estimated 10,935 meters (35,876 feet, or roughly 6.8 miles) below sea level. The site is named for the HMS Challenger, an oceanographic survey ship that first charted the depth of the ocean in the region in 1875 (see also Challenger Expedition). It was first explored by Swiss oceanographer ...(100 of 370 words)

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