Bunin (crater)
 MESSENGER WAC image of the degraded structure of Bunin | |
| Feature type | Impact crater |
|---|---|
| Location | Borealis quadrangle, Mercury |
| Coordinates | 84°28′N 141°46′W / 84.47°N 141.76°W |
| Diameter | 37 km |
| Eponym | Ivan Bunin |
Bunin is a crater on Mercury, located near the north pole. Its name was adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 2019. It is named for the Russian author Ivan Bunin.[1] The crater was referred to as l7 in scientific literature prior to naming.[2]
The southern rim of Bunin, as well as the floors of two smaller craters at the center and on the northeastern rim of Bunin, are in permanent shadow. Within the shadow of the southern rim is a "small-scale cold trap" where water-ice may be exposed at the surface.[2]
Bunin is northwest of Josetsu crater.
References
[edit]- ^ "Bunin". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. NASA. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- ^ a b New evidence for surface water ice in small-scale cold traps and in three large craters at the north polar region of Mercury from the Mercury Laser Altimeter, Ariel N. Deutsch, Gregory A. Neumann, James W. Head. 14 September 2017. Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 44, Issue 18. doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074723
