 Kubrick Mons is a depression with a peak in the middle, shown here in the upper left corner of the inset. | |
| Feature type | Moated mountain |
|---|---|
| Location | Vulcan Planitia, Charon |
| Coordinates | 3°36′N 30°48′E / 3.6°N 30.8°E / 3.6; 30.8[1] |
| Diameter | 40 kilometres (25 mi) |
| Peak | 3–4 km (1.9–2.5 mi) |
| Discoverer | New Horizons |
| Eponym | Stanley Kubrick |
Kubrick Mons is the name given to the largest of a series of mountain peaks on Pluto's moon Charon that rise out of depressions in the Vulcan Planitia region.[2][3] The feature was first recorded by the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) aboard the New Horizons spacecraft during a flyby on 15 July 2015.
Physical description
Kubrick Mons has a diameter of 40 kilometres (25 mi) and is 3–4 kilometres (1.9–2.5 mi) in height.[3] The feature is surrounded by a moat which has a depth of 1–2 kilometres (0.62–1.24 mi) below the surrounding area.[4] It is not currently known how Kubrick Mons formed; however, there is speculation that Kubrick Mons may be a cryovolcano and the depression may be the result of a shrinking chamber of water and ammonia.[3] As of November 2019[update] this hypothesis remains unconfirmed.
The mountain was named after film director Stanley Kubrick. Official approval of the name was announced by the International Astronomical Union on 11 April 2018.[5] It is sometimes called Charon's Mountain in a Moat or more simply Moat Mountain.
References
- ^ "Kubrick Mons". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
- ^ "Pluto's Big Moon Charon Has a Bizarre Mountain in a Moat". Space.com. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
- ^ a b c Desch, S.J.; Neveu, M. "Differentiation and Cryovolcanism in the Pluto-Charon System" (PDF). USRA Houston. School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- ^ Moore, J. M.; Spenser, J. R.; Mckinnon, W. B.; Beyer, R. A. (Apr 10, 2017). "The Geology of Charon as Revealed by New Horizons". International Asteroids, Comets, Meteors (ACM) Conference 2017. LUNAR AND PLANETARY SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
- ^ "Pluto's Largest Moon, Charon, Gets Its First Official Feature Names". International Astronomical Union. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
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