Hovnatanian (crater)

Hovnatanian is a crater on Mercury. Its “butterfly” pattern of ejecta rays were created by an impact at an even lower angle than that which formed neighboring Qi Baishi crater. From the "butterfly" pattern of rays (similar to Messier crater on the moon), the Hovnatanian impactor was travelling either north-to-south or south-to-north prior to hitting Mercury's surface.[1]

Hovnatanian
PlanetMercury
Coordinates7.6°S 187.5°W / -7.6; -187.5
QuadrangleTolstoj
Diameter34 km (21 mi)
EponymHakob Hovnatanyan

The crater was named for Hakob Hovnatanyan, a 19th-century Armenian artist.

Views
  • MESSENGER image showing the bright crater floor and some of the extent of the rays
    MESSENGER image showing the bright crater floor and some of the extent of the rays
  • Oblique MESSENGER image at a low sun angle
    Oblique MESSENGER image at a low sun angle

References
  1. "MESSENGER: MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging". Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2009-06-14.


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