This article is about the crater on Mercury. For other craters named Kuiper, see Kuiper (disambiguation).
Kuiper is a moderate-size crater with a central peak cluster located at 11°21′S31°14′W / 11.35°S 31.23°W / -11.35; -31.23 on Mercury. It is 62 kilometers in diameter and was named after Dutch-American astronomer Gerard Kuiper in 1976.[1] It is one of only 2 Mercurian craters which are named not after artists,[2] and one of very few cases when the same name is used for 3 craters (there are also Kuiper craters on Mars and on the Moon). Gerard Kuiper, being a leader of American planetary science, died shortly before the first images of Mercurian surface were made.[2]
Kuiper overlies the northern rim of the larger crater Murasaki. Kuiper crater has the highest recorded albedo of any region on the planet's surface and has a prominent ray system, suggesting that it is one of the youngest craters.[3]
Kuiper is one of the largest craters of the Kuiperian system on Mercury. The largest is Bartók crater.[4] The Kuiperian time period is named after Kuiper crater.
Distant oblique view from MESSENGER showing the extent of the ray system
Kuiper crater at low sun angle
Oblique view at high sun angle
References
^"Kuiper". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
^ abMorrison D. (1976). "IAU nomenclature for topographic features on Mercury". Icarus. 28 (4): 605–606. Bibcode:1976Icar...28..605M. doi:10.1016/0019-1035(76)90134-2.
^De Hon, R.A.; D.H. Scott & J.R. Underwood, Jr. (1981). "Geologic Map of the Kuiper (H-6) Quadrangle of Mercury". ()
^Denevi, B. W., Ernst, C. M., Prockter, L. M., and Robinson, M. S., 2018. The Geologic History of Mercury. In Mercury: The View After MESSENGER edited by Sean C. Solomon, Larry R. Nittler, and Brian J. Anderson. Cambridge Planetary Science. Chapter 6, Table 6.4.
Links
Map of the region with current names of surface features
This article about an extraterrestrial geological feature is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
kuiper, mercurian, crater, this, article, about, crater, mercury, other, craters, named, kuiper, kuiper, disambiguation, kuiper, moderate, size, crater, with, central, peak, cluster, located, mercury, kilometers, diameter, named, after, dutch, american, astron. This article is about the crater on Mercury For other craters named Kuiper see Kuiper disambiguation Kuiper is a moderate size crater with a central peak cluster located at 11 21 S 31 14 W 11 35 S 31 23 W 11 35 31 23 on Mercury It is 62 kilometers in diameter and was named after Dutch American astronomer Gerard Kuiper in 1976 1 It is one of only 2 Mercurian craters which are named not after artists 2 and one of very few cases when the same name is used for 3 craters there are also Kuiper craters on Mars and on the Moon Gerard Kuiper being a leader of American planetary science died shortly before the first images of Mercurian surface were made 2 KuiperKuiper photographed by MESSENGERPlanetMercuryCoordinates11 21 S 31 14 W 11 35 S 31 23 W 11 35 31 23QuadrangleKuiperDiameter62 km 39 mi EponymGerard KuiperKuiper overlies the northern rim of the larger crater Murasaki Kuiper crater has the highest recorded albedo of any region on the planet s surface and has a prominent ray system suggesting that it is one of the youngest craters 3 Kuiper is one of the largest craters of the Kuiperian system on Mercury The largest is Bartok crater 4 The Kuiperian time period is named after Kuiper crater Views Edit Mariner 10 image with Kuiper at left Distant oblique view from MESSENGER showing the extent of the ray system Kuiper crater at low sun angle Oblique view at high sun angleReferences Edit Kuiper Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature USGS Astrogeology Research Program a b Morrison D 1976 IAU nomenclature for topographic features on Mercury Icarus 28 4 605 606 Bibcode 1976Icar 28 605M doi 10 1016 0019 1035 76 90134 2 De Hon R A D H Scott amp J R Underwood Jr 1981 Geologic Map of the Kuiper H 6 Quadrangle of Mercury Description Denevi B W Ernst C M Prockter L M and Robinson M S 2018 The Geologic History of Mercury In Mercury The View After MESSENGER edited by Sean C Solomon Larry R Nittler and Brian J Anderson Cambridge Planetary Science Chapter 6 Table 6 4 Links EditMap of the region with current names of surface features This article about an extraterrestrial geological feature is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This article about the planet Mercury is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kuiper Mercurian crater amp oldid 1148333280, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
