March (crater)

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March
March crater 0000106-107.jpg
March (center)
Mosaic of Mariner 10 images
Planet Mercury
Coordinates 30°57′N176°18′W / 30.95°N 176.3°W / 30.95; -176.3
Quadrangle Shakespeare
Diameter 83 km (52 mi)
Eponym Ausias March
Approximate color MESSENGER WAC image March crater MESSENGER WAC IGF to RGB.jpg
Approximate color MESSENGER WAC image
Oblique view of March crater March crater EN0213023951M EN0213023953M.jpg
Oblique view of March crater

March is a crater on Mercury. [1] Its name was adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1979. March is named for the Valencian poet in Catalan language Ausias March, who lived from 1397 to 1459. [2]

At the time of the Mariner 10 mission in 1974 and 1975, March and the three craters surrounding it were informally called the Teddy Bear. [3]

March lies on the east rim of the Caloris basin.

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References

  1. Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. Institute of Physics Publishing. ISBN   0-7503-0620-3.
  2. "March". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. NASA . Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  3. Flight to Mercury. Bruce Murray and Eric Burgess, Columbia University Press. 1977. ISBN   978-0231039963