Discovery Rupes

Discovery Rupes
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Mariner 10 mosaic
Feature typeRupes
Coordinates56°18′S 38°18′W / 56.3°S 38.3°W / -56.3; -38.3
Length650 km
EponymHMS Discovery

Discovery Rupes is an escarpment on Mercury approximately 650 kilometers (400 mi) long and 2 kilometres (6,562 ft) high, located at latitude 56.3 S and longitude 38.3 W. It was formed by a thrust fault, thought to have occurred due to the shrinkage of the planet's core as it cooled over time. The scarp cuts through Rameau crater. It was discovered by Mariner 10.

The rupes are named after HMS Discovery, the ship used by explorer James Cook on his third voyage.

  • Discovery Rupes photographed during first Mariner 10 fly-by in 1974
    Discovery Rupes photographed during first Mariner 10 fly-by in 1974
  • The scarp imaged by MESSENGER in 2012
    The scarp imaged by MESSENGER in 2012
  • Representation of the thrust fault at Discovery Rupes
    Representation of the thrust fault at Discovery Rupes