Tolkien (crater)
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 MESSENGER image with Tolkien at center. The north pole is on the rim of Tryggvadóttir, the crater at left foreground. | |
| Planet | Mercury |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 88°49′N 211°05′W / 88.82°N 211.08°W |
| Quadrangle | Borealis |
| Diameter | 50 km |
| Eponym | J. R. R. Tolkien |
Tolkien is one of the northernmost craters on Mercury, located in the Borealis quadrangle (north pole region) at 88.82 N, 211.08 W.[1] It is 50 km in diameter. It was named after the South African born British writer J. R. R. Tolkien. The name was approved by IAU's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature on August 6, 2012.[1] Since Tolkien is very close to the north pole, and Mercury has almost no axial tilt, Tolkien receives very little sunlight.[2] S band radar data from the Arecibo Observatory collected between 1999 and 2005 indicates a radar-bright area covers the entire floor of Tolkien, which is probably indicative of a water ice deposit.[3][4][5][6]
