List of quadrangles on Mercury

The surface of the planet Mercury has been divided into fifteen quadrangles, designated H-1 to H-15 (the 'H' stands for Hermes, the Greek equivalent of Mercury).[1] The quadrangles are named for prominent surface features visible within each area.[1] The quadrangles were initially named for albedo features, as these were the most prominent features visible before mapping was carried out by spacecraft. The mapping carried out with the images obtained by the Mariner 10 flybys in 1974 and 1975 led to nine of the quadrangles being renamed for newly mapped prominent features.[1] The remaining six quadrangles were completely unmapped by Mariner 10 and were still referred to by their albedo feature names. Following the arrival of MESSENGER in orbit in 2011, these six quadrangles were mapped and renamed.[2]

Name[3]	Number	Namesake	Albedo feature name[4]	Area[5]	Mariner 10 map	Current map[3]	Notes
Borealis	H-1	Borealis Planitia[6]	Borea	North pole to 67° latitude		H-1	Provisionally called "Goethe", but renamed by the International Astronomical Union in 1976 (IAU, 1977).[5]
Victoria	H-2	Victoria Rupes	Aurora	0 to 90° longitude, 21 to 66° latitude		H-2
Shakespeare	H-3	Shakespeare crater	Caduceata	90 to 180° longitude, 21 to 66° latitude		H-3
Raditladi	H-4	Raditladi Basin	Liguria	270 to 180° longitude, 21 to 66° latitude	none	H-4
Hokusai	H-5	Hokusai crater	Apollonia	360 to 270° longitude, 21 to 66° latitude	none	H-5
Kuiper	H-6	Kuiper crater	Tricrena	0 to 72° longitude, −22 to 22° latitude		H-6
Beethoven	H-7	Beethoven crater	Solitudo Lycaonis	72 to 144° longitude, −22 to 22° latitude		H-7
Tolstoj	H-8	Tolstoj crater	Phaethontias	144 to 216° longitude, −22 to 22° latitude		H-8	Provisionally called "Tir", but renamed by the International Astronomical Union in 1976 (IAU, 1977).[5]
Eminescu	H-9	Eminescu crater	Solitudo Criophori	216 to 288° longitude, −22 to 22° latitude	none	H-9
Derain	H-10	Derain crater	Pieria	288 to 360° longitude, –22 to 22° latitude	none	H-10
Discovery	H-11	Discovery Rupes[6]	Solitudo Hermae Trismegisti	0 to 90° longitude, −21 to −66° latitude		H-11
Michelangelo	H-12	Michelangelo crater	Solitudo Promethei	90 to 180° longitude, −21 to -66° latitude		H-12
Neruda	H-13	Neruda crater	Solitudo Persephones	180 to 270° longitude, −21 to –66° latitude	none	H-13
Debussy	H-14	Debussy crater	Cyllene	270 to 360° longitude, −21 to −66° latitude	none	H-14
Bach	H-15	Bach crater	Australia	South pole to −67° latitude		H-15

Schema of the quadrangles

Relationship of the quadrangles to each other on the surface of Mercury (North is at the top):[5]

See also

• List of quadrangles on Venus
• List of quadrangles on the Moon
• List of quadrangles on Mars

References

1. Strom, Robert G.; Sprague, Ann L. (2003). Exploring Mercury: The Iron Planet. p. 79.
2. "IAU Information Bulletin" (pdf) (108). International Astronomical Union. July 2011: 23. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
3. "1:5 Million-Scale Maps of Mercury". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature (USGS/IAU/NASA). Retrieved 2013-09-19.
4. "SP-423 Atlas of Mercury". NASA. p. 21. Retrieved 2013-09-19.
5. Schaber, Gerald G.; John F. McCauley (1980). Geologic Map of the Tolstoj (H-8) Quadrangle of Mercury (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. USGS Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I–1199, as part of the Atlas of Mercury, 1:5,000,000 Geologic Series. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
6. "SP-423 Atlas of Mercury". NASA. Retrieved 2007-11-12.

Quadrangles on Mercury
H-1 Borealis (features)
H-5 Hokusai (features)		H-4 Raditladi (features)		H-3 Shakespeare (features)		H-2 Victoria (features)
H-10 Derain (features)	H-9 Eminescu (features)		H-8 Tolstoj (features)		H-7 Beethoven (features)		H-6 Kuiper (features)
H-14 Debussy (features)		H-13 Neruda (features)		H-12 Michelangelo (features)		H-11 Discovery (features)
H-15 Bach (features)