MESSENGER photo of Matisse (right), from its first flyby in January 2008 | |
| Planet | Mercury |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 23°48′S 90°11′W / 23.80°S 90.19°W |
| Quadrangle | Michelangelo |
| Diameter | 189 km (117 mi) |
| Eponym | Henri Matisse |
Matisse is an impact crater on the southern hemisphere of Mercury. [1] Matisse takes its name from the French artist Henri Matisse, and it was named by the IAU in 1976. [2]
Two faculae (high- albedo areas) within and near Matisse were named by the IAU in May 2023. One is called Ngu Facula, located within an unnamed crater in northern Matisse. [3] The other is called Ahas Facula, located in an unnamed crater northeast of Matisse. [4]
Within Matisse is a dark spot of low reflectance material (LRM). The dark spot is associated with hollows. [5] The dark spot is located on the southwest rim of the unnamed crater containing Ngu Facula.
The smaller crater Lessing is to the south of Matisse.
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Northern Matisse crater, with Ngu Facula and Ahas Facula. -
Detail of dark spot in Matisse crater. Hollows are present in the dark spot and in Ngu Facula in the unnamed crater in upper right.
References
- ^ "MESSENGER DANCES BY MATISSE". Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- ^ "Matisse". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. IAU/ NASA/ USGS. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ^ "Ngu Facula". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. IAU/ NASA/ USGS. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
- ^ "Ahas Facula". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. IAU/ NASA/ USGS. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
- ^ 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
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