Martial (crater)

Martial

MESSENGER WAC image of Martial
Feature type	Central-peak impact crater
Location	Borealis quadrangle, Mercury
Coordinates	68°28′N178°20′W / 68.47°N 178.33°W / 68.47; -178.33
Diameter	51.0 km (31.7 mi)
Eponym	Martial

Mosaic of MESSENGER images of the east-central portion of the crater

Martial is a crater on Mercury. It has a diameter of 51 kilometers. ^[1] Its name was adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1979. Martial is named for the ancient Roman poet Martial, who lived from 40 to 103. ^[2] The crater was first imaged by Mariner 10 in 1974. ^[3]

To the north of Martial is Saikaku crater. To the southeast is the large crater Verdi.

References

1. Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. Institute of Physics Publishing. ISBN   0-7503-0620-3.
2. "Martial". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. IAU/USGS/NASA . Retrieved 10 April 2024.
3. Davies, M. E.; Dwornik, S. E.; Gault, D. E.; Strom, R. G. (1978). Atlas of Mercury. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. pp. 1–128. ISBN   978-1-114-27448-8. Special Publication SP-423.