List of geological features on Mercury
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This is a list of geological features on Mercury. There is a separate List of craters on Mercury.
Contents |
Craters
External link: [1] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=9&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Crater,%20craters&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig)
Mountains
Mountains | Named after |
Caloris Montes | "Hot mountains" |
External link: [2] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=27&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Mons,%20montes&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig)
Ridges
Mercurian ridges are called dorsa, and are named after astronomers who made detailed studies of the planet.
Ridge | Named after |
Antoniadi Dorsum | Eugène Antoniadi |
Schiaparelli Dorsum | Giovanni Schiaparelli |
External link: [3] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=10&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Dorsum,%20dorsa&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig)
Valleys
Mercurian valleys are called valles, and are named after radio telescope facilities.
Valley | Named after |
Arecibo Vallis | Arecibo Observatory |
Goldstone Vallis | Goldstone Observatory |
Haystack Vallis | Haystack Observatory |
Simeiz Vallis | Simeiz Observatory |
External link: [4] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=46&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Vallis,%20valles&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig)
Plains
Mercurian plains are called planitiae, and most are named after mythological names associated with Mercury.
Plain | Named after |
Borealis Planitia | Means 'Northern Plain' |
Budh Planitia | Hindi word for planet Mercury |
Caloris Planitia | Means 'Hot Plain' |
Odin Planitia | Odin |
Sobkou Planitia | |
Suisei Planitia | Suisei, Japanese messenger god |
Tir Planitia | Norse word for planet Mercury |
External link: [5] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=31&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Planitia,%20planitiae&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig)
Scarps
Mercurian scarps are called rupes and are named after the ships of famous explorers.
Scarp | Named after |
Adventure Rupes | Ship of Captain Cook |
Astrolabe Rupes | Ship of Jules Dumont d'Urville |
Discovery Rupes | Ship of Captain Cook |
Endeavour Rupes | Endeavour, Ship of Captain Cook |
Fram Rupes | Fram, ship of Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdup and Roald Amundsen |
Gjoa Rupes | Ship of Roald Amundsen |
Heemskerck Rupes | Ship of Abel Tasman |
Hero Rupes | Ship of Nathaniel Palmer |
Mirni Rupes | Ship of Fabian von Bellingshausen |
Pourquoi-Pas Rupes | Ship of Jean-Baptiste Charcot |
Resolution Rupes | Resolution, ship of Captain Cook |
Santa Maria Rupes | Ship of Christopher Columbus |
Victoria Rupes | Ship of Ferdinand Magellan |
Vostok Rupes | Ship of Fabian von Bellingshausen |
Zarya Rupes | Zarya, a Russian experimental schooner |
Zeehaen Rupes | Ship of Jules Dumont d'Urville |
External link: [6] (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/FeatureTypesData2.jsp?systemID=1&bodyID=9&typeID=38&system=Mercury&body=Mercury&type=Rupes,%20rup|-es&sort=AName&show=Fname&show=Lat&show=Long&show=Diam&show=Stat&show=Orig)
External links
- USGS: Mercury nomenclature (http://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/jsp/SystemSearch2.jsp?System=Mercury)fr:Liste des caractéristiques géologiques de Mercure