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 lies to the west of Tir Planitia.
 | |
| Feature type | Impact crater |
|---|---|
| Location | Tolstoj quadrangle, Mercury |
| Coordinates | 7°41′S 187°17′W / 7.68°S 187.29°W |
| Diameter | 34 km (21 mi) |
| Eponym | Hakob Hovnatanyan |
The crater was named in 2008 for Hakob Hovnatanyan, a 19th-century Armenian artist.[2]
Views
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MESSENGER image showing the bright crater floor and some of the extent of the rays -
Oblique MESSENGER image at a low sun angle
References
edit- ^ "Low-angle Impacts: A Look at Qi Baishi and Hovnatanian". Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Hovnatanian". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. IAU/NASA/USGS. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
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