Balanchine (crater)

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Balanchine
Balanchine crater in Caloris Basin.jpg
MESSENGER image of Balanchine
Feature typeCentral-peak impact crater
Location Raditladi quadrangle, Mercury
Coordinates 38°28′N184°29′W / 38.47°N 184.48°W / 38.47; -184.48
Diameter38 km
Eponym George Balanchine
Approximate color image of Balanchine crater Balanchine crater EW0217863927G.3band.mapped.png
Approximate color image of Balanchine crater

Balanchine is a crater on the planet Mercury. It possesses a ray system of slightly bluish rays. These rays inspired the name of the crater due to their similarity to the tutu in George Balanchine's Serenade. [1]

Extensive hollows are present within Balanchine. A confirmed dark spot is present in Balanchine. [2] This dark spot is associated with the hollows.

High-resolution view of some of the hollows Balanchine crater EN1040112892M.map.jpg
High-resolution view of some of the hollows

Balanchine lies in the northeast portion of the Caloris Basin. To the northeast of Balanchine is Nervo crater, and to the southeast is March.

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References

  1. Ritzel, Rebecca (20 December 2012). "Ballet isn't rocket science, but the two aren't mutually exclusive, either". Washington Post. Washington DC, United States. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  2. Zhiyong Xiao, Robert G. Strom, David T. Blewett, Paul K. Byrne, Sean C. Solomon, Scott L. Murchie, Ann L. Sprague, Deborah L. Domingue, Jörn Helbert, 2013. Dark spots on Mercury: A distinctive low-reflectance material and its relation to hollows. Journal of Geophysical Research Planets. doi.org/10.1002/jgre.20115