Hovnatanian is a crater on
Mercury. Its “butterfly” pattern of ejecta rays were created by an impact at an even lower angle than that which formed neighboring
Qi Baishi crater. From the "butterfly" pattern of rays (similar to
Messier crater on the moon), the Hovnatanian impactor was travelling either north-to-south or south-to-north prior to hitting Mercury's surface.
The crater was named for
Hakob Hovnatanyan
Hakob Hovnatanyan ( hy, Հակոբ Մկրտումի Հովնաթանյան; 1806–1881) was an Armenian artist. He was a member of the Hovnatanyan family, a miniaturists dynasty from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Hacob Hovantanyan who was als ...
, a 19th-century Armenian artist.
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Hovnatanian crater EN0261369950M.jpg, MESSENGER image showing the bright crater floor and some of the extent of the rays
Hovnatanian crater EN0235218286M.jpg, Oblique MESSENGER image at a low sun angle
References
Impact craters on Mercury
{{Mercury-planet-stub