Kulthum (crater) explained

Kulthum
Location:Raditladi quadrangle, Mercury
Type:Central-peak impact crater
Coordinates:50.72°N 93.53°W
Eponym:Umm Kulthum

Kulthum is a crater on Mercury. It has a diameter of 31 kilometers. Its name was suggested by Molouk Ba-Isa from Saudi Arabia, Swiss individual Riana Rakotoarimanana, and American residents Yehya Hassouna, David Suttles, Thorayya Said Giovannelli and Matt Giovannelli in a naming contest which was eventually adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) on 2015.[1] Kulthum is named for the Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum.[2]

Hollows are present as bright areas on the central peak of Kulthum.[3]

The craters Carolan, Enheduanna, Karsh, and Rivera were also named as part of the contest.

Kulthum is east of Rustaveli crater.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mercury Crater-naming Contest Winners Announced . www.iau.org.
  2. Web site: Planetary Names: Crater, craters: Kulthum on Mercury . 28 August 2019.
  3. 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