Mithrim Montes

The Mithrim Montes /ˈmɪθrɪm ˈmɒntiːz/ are a range of mountains on Titan, the largest moon of the planet Saturn. The range is located near Titan's equator, between 1-3° south and 126-8° west [1] and consists of three parallel ridges that are oriented east-west, spaced about 25 km apart.[2] They are located within the region Xanadu.[3] The highest peak is about 3,337 m (10,948 ft) high and is located on the southernmost of the ridges; it is the highest known peak on Titan.[2]

Mithrim Montes
Despeckled SAR view by Cassini; the tallest peak is near the center of the lower (southern) ridge
Feature typeMountain range
Coordinates2°S 127°W
Diameter147 km
EponymMithrim Mountains

The Mithrim Montes are named after the Mithrim Mountains, a range in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth.[1] This follows a convention that Titanean mountains are named after mountains in Tolkien's work.[4] The name was formally announced on November 13, 2012.[5]

References
  1. International Astronomical Union. "Mithrim Montes". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Accessed Nov 14, 2012.
  2. "PIA20023: Radar View of Titan's Tallest Mountains". photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
  3. United States Geological Survey. "Titan with VIMS background and RADAR strips". Accessed 14 Nov, 2012.
  4. International Astronomical Union. "Categories for Naming Features on Planets and Satellites". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Accessed Nov 14, 2012.
  5. Jennifer Blue, "Eight New Names for Titan Surface Features" Archived 2014-02-22 at the Wayback Machine. USGS Astrologeology Science Center. Nov 13, 2012.

See also


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