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 ground in the Vulcan Planum plain.[2][3] The feature was first recorded by the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) aboard the New Horizons spacecraft during a flyby on July 15, 2017.
 Kubrick Mons is a depression with a peak in the middle, shown here in the upper left corner of the inset. | |
| Coordinates | 3°N 30°E / 3°N 30°E[1] |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 20–25 kilometres (12–16 mi) |
| Peak | 3–4 km (1.9–2.5 mi) |
| Eponym | Stanley Kubrick |
Physical description
Kubrik Mons has a diameter between 20–25 kilometres (12–16 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] As of April 2018[update], it is not known how Kubrik Mons formed, however there is speculation that Kubrik Mons may be a cryovolcano and the depression may be the result of a shrinking chamber of water and ammonia,[3] this however remains to be confirmed.
The mountain was named after film director Stanley Kubrick. Official approval of the name was announced by the International Astronomical Union on April 11, 2018.[5] It is sometimes called Charon's Mountain in a Moat or more simply Moat Mountain.
References
- ^ "Global map of Charon". Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ "Pluto's Big Moon Charon Has a Bizarre Mountain in a Moat". Space.com. 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 It's First Official Names". International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
