Molière (crater)
Crater on Mercury
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Molière is an impact crater on the planet Mercury. The crater was first imaged by Mariner 10 in 1974.[1] The nearly circular rim of the crater is cut off into a flat edge on its southern and southwestern ends, and on its eastern side the rim is indented by a smaller crater.
Feature typeImpact crater
LocationKuiper quadrangle, Mercury
Coordinates15.40°N 17.71°W
Diameter139 km (86 mi)
Oblique Mariner 10 image of Molière | |
| Feature type | Impact crater |
|---|---|
| Location | Kuiper quadrangle, Mercury |
| Coordinates | 15.40°N 17.71°W |
| Diameter | 139 km (86 mi) |
| Eponym | Jean Baptiste Poquelin |
The crater is named for the 17th-century French dramatist and satirist Molière. The name was approved by the International Astronomical Union in 1976.[2][3]
It is located south of the crater Rodin, southeast of the crater Abu Nuwas, and northeast of the crater Aśvaghoṣa.
Views
MESSENGER mosaic of Molière crater
Molière crater at a high sun angle. The crater is barely distinguishable due to lack of shadows. The southern rim is in the lower left corner.
