Hun Kal (crater)
Hun Kal is a small crater on Mercury that serves as the reference point for the planet's system of longitude. The longitude of Hun Kal's center is defined as being 20° W, thus establishing the planet's prime meridian.[1]
This image shows the surrounding context of Hun Kal, which is almost invisibly tiny near the center.
 Hun Kal is indicated by an arrow. | |
| Planet | Mercury |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 0.5°S 20°W |
| Quadrangle | Kuiper quadrangle |
| Diameter | 1.5 km |
| Eponym | '20' in the Mayan language |
Hun Kal was chosen as a reference point since the actual prime meridian was in shadow when Mariner 10 photographed the region, hiding any features near 0° longitude from view.
Hun Kal is about 1.5 km in diameter.[2]
The name "Hun Kal" means '20' in the language of the Maya.
References
- "USGS Astrogeology: Rotation and pole position for the Sun and planets (IAU WGCCRE)". Archived from the original on 24 October 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
- "Hun Kal". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
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