Aśvaghosa (crater)

Aśvaghosa is an impact crater on Mercury, 90 kilometers in diameter. It is located at 10.4°, 21°W, south of the crater Abu Nuwas and southwest of the crater Molière. It is a nearly circular formation, and its rim remains intact, except where it is broken at its southern side, and at its northern side by an indentation from two conjoined craterlets. On the crater floor is a central mountain that rises to multiple peaks. The crater is named for Indian philosopher and poet Aśvaghoṣa, and its name was adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1976.[1][2]

Aśvaghosa
MESSENGER Wide Angle Camera image. A ray from Hokusai crater far to the north crosses Aśvaghosa.
PlanetMercury
Coordinates10.4°N 21°W / 10.4; -21
QuadrangleKuiper quadrangle
Diameter90 km
EponymAśvaghoṣa
Map-projected view of western Aśvaghosa crater

References

  1. "USGS Astro: Planetary Nomenclature: Feature Data Search Results". USGS Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature Feature Information. Retrieved October 26, 2007.
  2. NASA World Wind 1.4. NASA Ames Research Center, 2007.


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