Phidias (crater)

Phidias

Mariner 10 image with Phidias at center
Feature type	Impact crater
Location	Tolstoj quadrangle, Mercury
Coordinates	8°58′N149°44′W / 8.97°N 149.73°W / 8.97; -149.73
Diameter	168 km (104 mi)
Eponym	Phidias

Approximate color image of Phidias (upper left), Tyagaraja (lower left), and Balzac (upper right) craters, from MESSENGER WAC

Phidias is a crater on Mercury. ^[1] Its name was adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1976. Phidias is named for the Greek artist Phidias, who lived from 490 to 430 BCE. ^[2] The crater was first imaged by Mariner 10 in 1974. ^[3]

Nearby craters include Balzac to the east and Tyagaraja to the south.

References

1. Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. Institute of Physics Publishing. ISBN   0-7503-0620-3.
2. "Phidias". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. IAU/NASA/USGS . Retrieved 5 December 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.