Bach Quadrangle Is the 15th of 15 Quadrangles of the Mercurian Surface

Summary: Bach Quadrangle is the 15th of 15 quadrangles of the Mercurian surface and covers Mercury's south polar area through 65 degrees south latitude.

Map of Bach Quadrangle shows half of south polar region hidden beyond the terminator, with notation, "area in darkness," during Mariner 10 robotic space probe's three flybys (March 29, 1974; Sept. 21, 1974; March 16, 1975); Geologic Map of the Bach Region of Mercury (1990) by Robert G. Strom, Michael C. Malin and Martha A. Leake, prepared on behalf of the Planetary Geology Program, Planetary Division, Office of Space Science, National Aeronautics and Space Administration: via U.S. Geological Service's Publications Warehouse

Bach Quadrangle is the 15th of 15 quadrangles of the Mercurian surface, and its map covers the Swift Planet's southern polar region, from 65 degrees south latitude southward to the south pole.

As the 15th of Mercury's 15 quadrangles, Bach Quadrangle has the letter-number designation of H-15 or H15. H denotes Hermes, Greek mythology's equivalent of Roman mythology's Mercurius.

Bach Quadrangle's provisional name, Australia (Latin: australis, "southern" + -ia, noun-forming suffix) Albedo Province, designates albedo features on Mercury's surface. Greek French astronomer Eugène Michel Antoniadi (March 1, 1870-Feb. 10, 1944) mapped Mercury's albedo features in his guide, La Planète Mercure, published in 1934 and translated into English by English amateur astronomer Sir Patrick Moore (March 4, 1923-Dec. 9, 2012) in 1974 (figure 5, page 26). Antoniadi mapped Mercury's south polar region as darker, with lower reflectivity, than the high albedo of the planet's bright north polar region.

The names of Mercury's quadrangles conventionally derive from prominent local features. Bach Quadrangle's namesake is Bach Crater. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has devised the theme of names of historically significant artists, authors, musicians and painters for Mercury's craters. The crater's name, approved in 1976, honors Baroque period German composer Johann Sebastian Bach (March 31 [Old Style: March 21], 1685-July 28, 1750).

Bach Crater is centered at minus 69.86 degrees south latitude, 103.01 degrees west longitude, according to the IAU's U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center-maintained Gazetter of Planetary Nomenclature. The southern hemisphere crater's northernmost and southernmost latitudes reach minus 67.34 degrees south and minus 72.37 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes touch 95.68 degrees west and 110.32 degrees west, respectively. Bach Crater's diameter spans 214.29 kilometers.

Wagner Crater lies adjacently as Bach Crater's western neighbor. The crater's name, approved in 1976, honors German Romantic era composer-librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883).

Wagner Crater is centered at minus 68.25 degrees south latitude, 114.78 degrees west longitude. The south polar crater registers northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 66.66 degrees south and minus 69.81 degrees south, respectively. It records easternmost and westernmost longitudes of 110.55 degrees west and 119 degrees west, respectively. Wagner Crater has a diameter of 134 kilometers.

Chao Meng-Fu Crater lies to the south of Bach Crater as the quadrangle's south pole-nudging crater. The crater's name, approved, honors Chinese Yuan Dynasty calligrapher and painter Chao Meng-fu (1254–1322).

In their article, "Near-Surface Ice on Mercury and the Moon: A Topographic Thermal Model," published in the October 1994 issue of Icarus, planetary geoscientists James R. Salvail and Fraser P. Fanale reported permanent shadowing of approximately 40 percent of Chao Meng-Fu Crater's floor. The rest of the crater's floor experiences periodic illumination from a "partially obscured" sun.

Chao Meng-Fu Crater is centered at minus 88.42 degrees south latitude, 156.36 degrees west longitude. The south pole-brushing crater posts northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 86.67 degrees south and minus 69.52 degrees south, respectively. It marks its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 0 degrees and 360 degrees west, respectively. Chao Meng-Fu Crater's diameter measures 140.73 kilometers.

In their Geologic Map of the Bach Region of Mercury, published in 1990, planetary scientists Robert J. Strom, Michael C. Malin and Martha A. Leake noted the moderate freshness of double-ringed Bach Crater and nearby double-ringed Bernini Crater. Both craters exhibit "extensive fields of secondary craters" that are "well-defined."

Bernini Crater lies to the southwest of Bach Crater. The crater's name, approved in 1976, honors Italian Baroque period architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Dec. 7, 1598-Nov. 28, 1680).

Bernini Crater is centered at minus 80.32 degrees south latitude, 140.97 degrees west longitude. The southern polar region crater obtains northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 78.38 degrees south and minus 82.25 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at 129.38 degrees west and 152.56 degrees west, respectively. Bernini Crater's diameter measures 168.13 kilometers.

The Mercurian south polar region's Bach Quadrangle shares its northern borders with four neighbors. Discovery Quadrangle (H-11) abuts Bach Quadrangle between 0 and 90 degrees west longitude. Michelangelo Quadrangle (H-12) neighbors between 90 and 180 degrees west longitude. Neruda Quadrangle (H-13) aligns with Bach Quadrangle's northern border between 180 and 270 degrees west longitude. Debussy Quadrangle (H-14) is contiguous between 270 and 360 degrees west longitude.

The takeaways for Bach Quadrangle as the 15th of 15 quadrangles of the Mercurian surface are that the south polar region's quadrangle derives its name from Bach Crater, which honors German Baroque composer Johan Sebastian Bach; that Bach Crater and nearby Bernini Crater, both double-ringed, are credited with an extensive system of secondary craters; that Chao Meng-Fu Crater claims closeness to Mercury's south pole; and that Discovery, Michelangelo, Neruda and Debussy quadrangles occur as Bach Quadrangle's northern neighbors.

Detail of Map of the H-15 (Bach) Quadrangle of Mercury shows the quadrangle's namesake, Bach Crater, lying to the south of south pole-nudging Chao Meng Fu Crater; credit NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington/USGS: courtesy IAU/USGS Astrogeology Science Center's Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Map of Bach Quadrangle shows half of south polar region hidden beyond the terminator, with notation, "area in darkness," during Mariner 10 robotic space probe's three flybys (March 29, 1974; Sept. 21, 1974; March 16, 1975); Geologic Map of the Bach Region of Mercury (1990) by Robert G. Strom, Michael C. Malin and Martha A. Leake, prepared on behalf of the Planetary Geology Program, Planetary Division, Office of Space Science, National Aeronautics and Space Administration: via U.S. Geological Service's Publications Warehouse @ https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/i2015; via USGS Astrogeology Science Center's Astropedia Web Portal @ https://astrogeology.usgs.gov/search/map/Mercury/Geology/Mercury-Geologic-Map-of-the-Bach-Region

Detail of Map of the H-15 (Bach) Quadrangle of Mercury shows the quadrangle's namesake, Bach Crater, lying to the south of south pole-nudging Chao Meng Fu Crater; credit NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington/USGS: courtesy IAU/USGS Astrogeology Science Center's Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/images/H-15.pdf

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