Chekhov (crater)

Chekhov
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Mariner 10 image with Chekhov at center
Feature typePeak-ring impact basin
LocationDiscovery quadrangle, Mercury
Coordinates36°12′S 61°30′W / 36.2°S 61.5°W / -36.2; -61.5
Diameter194 km
EponymAnton Chekhov

Chekhov is a crater on Mercury. It has a diameter of 194 kilometers.[1] Its name was adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1976. Chekhov is named for the Russian author Anton Chekhov, who lived from 1860 to 1904.[2]

Chekhov is one of 110 peak ring basins on Mercury.[3] On the eastern side of the peak ring is a dark spot of low reflectance material (LRM), closely associated with hollows.[4]

The small rayed crater Popova is to the west of Chekhov. Unkei is to the north, Wergeland is to the east, and the similar-sized crater Schubert is to the southeast.

MESSENGER mosaic
MESSENGER mosaic with Schubert at lower right and Checkhov at upper left.
  1. ^ Moore, Patrick (2000). The Data Book of Astronomy. Institute of Physics Publishing. ISBN 0-7503-0620-3.
  2. ^ "Chekhov". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. NASA. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  3. ^ Chapman, C. R., Baker, D. M. H., Barnouin, O. S., Fassett, C. I., Marchie, S., Merline, W. J., Ostrach, L. R., Prockter, L. M., and Strom, R. G., 2018. Impact Cratering of Mercury. In Mercury: The View After MESSENGER edited by Sean C. Solomon, Larry R. Nittler, and Brian J. Anderson. Cambridge Planetary Science. Chapter 9.
  4. ^ 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