Rilke (crater)

Rilke
MESSENGER NAC
PlanetMercury
Coordinates44°49′S 12°34′W / 44.81°S 12.57°W / -44.81; -12.57
QuadrangleDiscovery
Diameter82 km (51 mi)
EponymRainer Maria Rilke

Rilke is a crater on Mercury. Its name was adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1976. Rilke is named for the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke.[1]

There is an irregular depression near the center of the crater. Such depressions in similar craters (for example Glinka, Gibran, or Picasso) are thought to be caused by explosive volcanism.[2]

To the north of Rilke are Matabei and Pigalle craters. To the southwest are Po Ya and Sōtatsu.

  • Exaggerated color view with Rilke at bottom center. Note the bright yellow color around the depression.
    Exaggerated color view with Rilke at bottom center. Note the bright yellow color around the depression.
  • Oblique view of Rilke clearly showing the irregular depression near center
    Oblique view of Rilke clearly showing the irregular depression near center
  • Distant oblique view
    Distant oblique view

References

  1. ^ "Rilke". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. NASA. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  2. ^ David Pegg, David Rothery, M.R. Balme, Susan Conway, 2021. Explosive vent sites on Mercury: Commonplace multiple eruptions and their implications. Icarus 365:114510. doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114510


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